Greentube Alderney Limited, the company that runs Admiral Casino, has been fined £1 million by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).
The fine was given because the company didn’t follow important rules to protect customers and stop money laundering.
And it’s not the first time they’ve had problems—they were fined £685,000 in 2021 for similar issues.
The UKGC found that Admiral Casino wasn’t doing enough to help vulnerable customers and didn’t monitor suspicious accounts closely.
Thus, this fine is a clear warning to follow the rules and make gambling safer for everyone.
Key Takeaways
- Greentube Alderney, which runs Admiral Casino, has been fined £1 million for failing to follow anti-money laundering (AML) rules and failing to protect its customers.
- The company failed to spot vulnerable customers, delayed action on suspicious accounts, and ignored its own rules about high-risk jobs.
- The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is introducing stricter regulations to make gambling safer and protect players better.
Social Responsibility Failures
Admiral Casino failed to protect its customers, especially those who were at risk of harm.
The investigation showed that the casino didn’t properly follow its own rules about setting gambling limits based on players’ regular, reliable income.
Instead, they allowed people to spend money from irregular or one-time sources.
For example, one customer provided a bank statement showing a negative balance at the beginning and end of the month, along with multiple payments to another gambling site.
Even though this clearly showed financial trouble, the casino didn’t take any action for months, and by then, the customer had already deposited £4,000 over four months.
The casino also didn’t check if the documents provided by customers were real, missing opportunities to spot problems early and intervene to help.
Anti-Money Laundering Breaches
Admiral Casino also fell short when it came to stopping money laundering.
They didn’t carefully check customer accounts or act quickly when things didn’t look right.
In one case, a customer provided a bank statement showing unusual activity—over £100,000 was being transferred in and out of the account, which ended with a negative balance.
But it took the casino four months to flag this as suspicious.
Another customer, who was a finance manager, wasn’t flagged as high-risk even though their job could give them access to stolen or laundered funds.
The casino ignored its own policies that require extra checks for people in “risky jobs.”
Perhaps the most alarming case involved an account linked to someone who had a criminal record for selling Class A drugs.
The account shared the same address and last name as a previously blocked customer, but the casino didn’t notice this connection until much later.
Repeat Offender
This isn’t the first time Greentube Alderney has faced penalties.
Back in 2021, they were fined £685,000 for similar failures.
Despite promises to improve, the UKGC found they were still breaking the rules during a follow-up inspection.
John Pierce, the UKGC’s Director of Enforcement, said, “This case shows why it’s so important for operators to learn from their mistakes.
Although we saw some improvements, they still fell short in critical areas.
We’ve required them to quickly put a proper action plan in place to fix these problems.”
He also warned the industry: “Any company that keeps breaking the rules can expect harsher penalties. Failing to meet anti-money laundering standards is simply unacceptable.”
Big Changes Coming to UK Gambling
This fine comes as the UK gambling industry prepares for major changes.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is introducing new rules to make gambling safer and fairer for everyone.
These updates are part of the 2023 Gambling Whitepaper, which laid out plans for stricter regulations.
By February 2025, gambling companies must check the finances of players who deposit more than £150 a month.
These checks will use publicly available information to spot people struggling financially, like those with unpaid debts or a history of bankruptcy.
However, the checks won’t look into private details like job titles or specific bank account information.
Starting in March 2025, online gambling will also slow down to make it less intense.
Fast features like autoplay and turbo modes, which speed up gameplay, will be banned.
Slot machine spins will have to last a few seconds, and players will get real-time updates showing how much they’ve spent and how long they’ve been playing.
From January 2025, players will have more say over marketing.
Gambling companies will need to give customers the option to choose whether they want to receive marketing and which products they’re interested in.
What This £1M Fine Means for Gambling Operators
The £1 million fine is a wake-up call for gambling operators.
The UKGC has made it clear that they won’t tolerate repeat offenders, and the new rules coming in 2025 will only increase the pressure on companies to act responsibly.
Admiral Casino’s situation shows that ignoring rules about customer protection and anti-money laundering policies isn’t worth the risk.
With stricter rules and higher fines, the UK gambling industry is being pushed to prioritize safety and fairness like never before.
