UK Gambling Commission suspends online gambling site Bet-At-Home

The political situation in the United Kingdom is currently in disarray as Prime Minister Boris Johnson decided to resign and the upcoming White Paper has become uncertain. However, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has taken a swift decision against the online gambling site Bet-At-Home.

The UKGC has decided to suspend Bet-at-home.com for violating rules and was found not in accordance with the terms of their license. The gambling regulator took action based on a review under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005 and concluded that Bet-At-Home has conducted in “suspected social responsibility and anti-money laundering failings,” according to UKGC’s released statement.

Following this current decision, Bet-at-home.com Internet Limited, which operates bet-at-home.com, bet-at-home.co.uk, and uk.bet-at-home.com can no longer do its business in the UK and the UKGC has informed the public to withdraw their money from the website.

“The suspension does not prevent the operator from allowing consumers to access their accounts and withdrawing funds,” UKGC said.

However, Bet-At-Home Head of Marketing Alessandro Manzella insisted that the company has no plan to quit the UK market, according to his interview on iGaming Business. Manzella certainly was not aware that the UKGC would deliver this verdict as he expressed his comment before the regulator announced the decision.

Bet-at-Home has been fighting rough waters in the online gambling business. Last October, it was forced to exit the Austrian market for operating without a license. The players then filed a lawsuit for reimbursement for their losses.

The company sued the Swiss Federal Gaming Board in an effort to gain access as a foreign operator but Switzerland Supreme Court ruled against Bet-At-Home and decided that it could not operate in the region.

The online gambling company has also shut down its operations in both German and Dutch markets. Its first-quarter revenue showed a decline of 54.1% to €14 million (US$15 million) and now with the UK license suspension, it will certainly see a further revenue drop in the foreseeable future.