The UK Gambling Commission has imposed a £1 million financial penalty on ProgressPlay Limited following a compliance assessment that uncovered serious shortcomings in anti-money laundering (AML) protocols and social responsibility practices.
ProgressPlay, which operates 134 gambling websites, has also received a formal warning and must undergo an independent third-party audit to verify that its AML and player protection systems are being properly implemented and maintained.
Key Anti-Money Laundering Failures
- The company failed to conduct a proper Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (MLTF) risk assessment.
- It did not apply sufficient risk-based controls across its business operations.
- ProgressPlay neglected to adequately review customer transactions or verify sources of funds, compromising its ability to detect suspicious activity.
Social Responsibility Breaches
- The operator lacked effective systems to monitor customer behavior from the moment accounts were opened, delaying potential interventions.
- Its customer interaction policy did not meet the standards outlined in the Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP).
- It failed to assess the impact of individual interventions, leaving at-risk players vulnerable to continued harm.
This marks the second time ProgressPlay has faced enforcement action. In 2022, the company paid £175,718 for similar violations related to AML and social responsibility.
John Pierce, Director of Enforcement and Intelligence at the Commission, stated:
“Gambling businesses must have robust policies and procedures in place to protect consumers and ensure appropriate anti-money laundering controls are maintained. These measures must be actively implemented and regularly tested to confirm their effectiveness.”
He emphasized that repeated breaches will lead to escalating consequences and urged all operators to learn from this case and proactively strengthen their compliance frameworks.
