NetBet Enterprises Limited, operator of the online gambling brand netbet.co.uk, has agreed to pay £650,000 and undertake an independent third-party audit following an investigation by the UK Gambling Commission that identified anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility shortcomings.
The £650,000 payment will be directed towards socially responsible causes as part of the regulatory settlement. The Commission’s review found that NetBet had been overly reliant on financial triggers for customer risk assessments, allowing some players to spend amounts disproportionate to their net income. In several cases, the operator categorised customers as low risk despite significant gambling activity and behaviour that warranted further scrutiny.
The investigation also determined that NetBet’s AML and terrorist financing risk assessment failed to fully account for certain high-risk factors. These included oversight of third-party business relationships, exposure to high-stakes gambling, and controls for customers from third countries residing in the UK.
In terms of social responsibility obligations, the Commission identified weaknesses in NetBet’s customer interaction systems and processes, which were not effectively designed to minimise the risk of gambling-related harm. Signs of potential harm — including overnight play, rapid deposit behaviour, exhaustion of limits, and escalated gameplay — were not always identified promptly and were often only flagged after manual reviews.
The regulator also noted that NetBet submitted inaccurate information in its regulatory returns.
The action is the latest in a series of enforcement outcomes by the Gambling Commission as it continues to tighten oversight of operator compliance with AML and player protection standards within the UK’s regulated igaming market.
John Pierce, Commission Director of Enforcement, said: “This case highlights the serious consequences of failing to meet anti-money laundering and social responsibility obligations. We expect all operators to take note and ensure their systems are not only well-designed but are working effectively to protect consumers and to keep crime out of gambling.
“The operator was instructed to take immediate action and make significant improvements to its systems and controls. This included strengthening their risk assessments, improving how they identify and respond to indicators of harm, and ensuring the accuracy of the data they report to us.
“Alongside the £650,000 financial penalty, the operator is also required to commission an independent audit of its policies, procedures, and controls to ensure the necessary improvements they have implemented are properly embedded and remain effective in practice.
“Our focus is on ensuring operators meet the standards we expect, and where they fall short, we will intervene.”
