A £6.2m penalty package has been issued to the William Hill Group (WHG), after the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) found social responsibility and money laundering failures.
It was detailed that “senior management failed to mitigate risks, and have sufficient numbers of staff to ensure their anti-money laundering and social responsibility processes were effective.”
The result of which was ten customers depositing £1.2m which had links to criminal offences, and of which William Hill benefited.
Neil McArthur, Executive Director at the UKGC, said: “We will use the full range of our enforcement powers to make gambling fairer and safer.
“This was a systemic failing at William Hill which went on for nearly two years and today’s penalty package – which could exceed £6.2m – reflects the seriousness of the breaches.
“Gambling businesses have a responsibility to ensure that they keep crime out of gambling and tackle problem gambling – and as part of that they must be constantly curious about where the money they are taking is coming from.”
WHG are to pay £5m for breaching regulations and divest the £1.2m earned from transactions with the ten customers, with victims to be reimbursed where they can be identified.
It was also stated that “WHG will also appoint external auditors, to review the effectiveness and implementation of its anti-money laundering and social responsibility policies and procedures, and share learning with the wider industry.”
Philip Bowcock, William Hill CEO, commented: “William Hill has fully co-operated with the Commission throughout this process, introducing new and improved policies and increased levels of resourcing.
“We have also committed to an independent process review and will work to implement any recommendations that emerge from that review. We are fully committed to operating a sustainable business that properly identifies risk and better protects customers. We will continue to assist the Commission and work with other operators to improve practices in the areas identified.”
