ProgressPlay was fined £1 million (US$1.35 million) by the UK Gambling Commission on Thursday for regulatory violations.

ProgressPlay, which has its headquarters in Limassol, Cyprus, is authorized by the UK Gambling Commission to provide online casinos, remote sports betting, and online bingo activities.  Although the white label operator also runs its own online gaming platforms, ProgressPlay's primary business is business-to-business iGaming software.

According to the UKGC, a Gambling Commission compliance review revealed serious issues, including as social responsibility and anti-money laundering shortcomings.  This is the second time that ProgressPlay has been discovered to be noncompliant by such a check.

"This case marks the second time ProgressPlay Limited has been subject to enforcement action by the Gambling Commission. Its failure to meet AML obligations, along with the gaps identified in its social responsibility processes, are unacceptable,” said John Pierce, the UKGC’s director of enforcement and intelligence.

In addition to operating 18 online gaming domains, ProgressPlay serves as a third-party operator for over 100 other UK-based businesses.

The online brands Aced Bet, Push Bet, Bet Steve, Lotto Zone, and UK Slots are all owned by ProgressPlay.  Hot Wins, LuckyCity, Funky Jackpot, and Lucky Buck Bets are some of the company's white label platforms. 

AML Errors

The UKGC's report's scope was centered on ProgressPlay's persistent inaction on money laundering.  The investigation found that the corporation failed to adopt measures to reduce the risk of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (MLTF) and failed to perform proper MLTF risk assessments.

According to the UKGC, the iGaming company consistently neglected to confirm the source of funds, business activities, and risk profile of its customers—all of which are necessary under the UK's online gambling regulations—and failed to adopt a "sufficiently risk-based approach" to anti-money laundering.

In terms of social responsibility, the UKGC assessment stated that ProgressPlay has to improve its consumer activity monitoring, particularly in terms of early detection of possible gambling harm.  Investigators discovered that ProgressPlay's customer service agents lacked the necessary training to engage and support potential problem gamblers, and the company's intervention procedures were deficient.

Alright, Evaluation 

In addition to the seven-figure penalties, the UK Gambling Commission mandated an independent third-party audit after ProgressPlay corrected its regulatory violations.  The UKGC appointed ProgressPlay, and the corporation is responsible for paying for the audit.

"Operators should be in no doubt: repeated regulatory breaches will result in increasingly severe enforcement action. We urge all operators to examine the failings identified in this case and take proactive steps to strengthen their own systems and controls,” Pierce added.

The £1 million fine against ProgressPlay comes after the firm was settled for similar regulatory violations in May 2022 for £175,718.

In 2023, William Hill was fined £19.2 million for his AML and social responsibility violations, the biggest fine ever imposed by the UKGC.  Customers were permitted to make sizable payments and engage in substantial gambling for years without any interference from the online casino and sportsbook operator, according to the UKGC.  The majority of the £19.2 million went to UK-wide socially conscious gaming projects.