An investigation by iGaming intelligence platform Betconix alleged that online crypto casinos operating in the UK can facilitate money laundering and evade gambling oversight. Betconix said the UK Gambling Commission has sought audit access from crypto casinos seeking to enter the market, but none has received a licence.
The allegations concern operators outside the UK licensing and anti-money-laundering framework.
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The Gambling Commission has warned UK operators that anti-money laundering standards are slipping. The regulator criticised excessive reliance on AI. It cited earlier penalties of £17m for Entain and £19.2m for William Hill over AML failures.
The UK Gambling Commission reminded bookmakers operating at the Cheltenham Festival of their licensing and anti-money laundering responsibilities. It said licence holders must monitor customer activity, report suspicious transactions and maintain controls against money laundering and terrorist financing.
The Gambling Commission suspended Targetlocal Ltd’s combined remote operating licence after enquiries found anti-money laundering failings. A section 116 review followed; the suspension was lifted on 13 October 2026 after significant action by the operator.
The UKGC announced on 1 March 2022 that 888 UK Limited would pay £9.4m following an investigation into social responsibility and money laundering failures. The regulator also issued a warning and required independent audits of the operator, which runs 78 websites.
The UKGC announced on 16 December 2021 that Buzz Group must pay £780,000 following an investigation into social responsibility and money laundering failures. The regulator also issued a formal warning to the buzzbingo.com operator for breaches between October 2019 and December 2020.
Buzz Group Ltd, which operates buzzbingo.com, must pay a £780,000 fine and has received a formal warning from the UKGC, the regulator announced on 16 December 2021. The action followed a Commission investigation that found social responsibility and money laundering failures at the business between October 2019 and December 2020.