Daub Alderney's appeal against UKGC fine dismissed

Daub Alderney’s attempt to appeal a fine imposed by the UK Gambling Commission has come a cropper. The company, which is a Rank Group brand that operates a number of websites in the United Kingdom, was previously found in violation of social responsibility and anti-money laundering rules.

As a result, the UKGC ruled against it and imposed a sizable £5.85m fine in September last year. The fine, said Daub Alderney, was disproportionate to its offense and was not fair. The case was taken by the First-Tier Tribunal and overseen by judge Jacqueline Ruth Findlay who, however, sided with the regulator in the matter.

Findlay explained that there were serious breaches of the existing gambling laws that bore resemblance to a similar case dating back to 2018 when a £7.81m penalty was issued against the company. The judge said that there were no new facts in the appeal that could persuade her that the business deserved a reprieve or a reduced penalty.

As a result, Findlay said that the UKGC did not "err in law and complied with its statutory obligations." Daub Alderney’s has now suffered twice at the hands of the UKGC in so many years. Previously, the company was owned by Stride Gaming and the first penalty was issued in relation to offenses that were committed during the previous ownership.

The new case also prompted UKGC deputy CEO, Sarah Gardner, to weigh in on the case and say that the First-Tier Tribunal was fair and well-considered. Gardner reminded that stakeholders were not fined unless a strong cause was found. When infringements are established though, the UGKC seeks to act firmly and decisively against any wrongdoers.

The UKGC has issued a number of penalties over the last several months, taking an issue with some of the most prominent gambling companies in the country and the industry as a whole. Spreadex and Entain were among the entities affected by sizable penalties a few months ago, including a £17m fine against Entain over anti-money laundering and social responsibility breaches, and a £1.36 fine over the same infringements issued against Spreadex.

Before that in March, UKGC hit 888 Holdings with a £9.4 million fine, one of the biggest on record. The year as a whole puts the regulator on track to complete its busiest year and certainly the costliest for companies in the sector given the size of the penalties.

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