Legislation
UK – Touch Games to pay £3.4m fine and to undergo extensive auditing
By Phil - 18 March 2021
In Touch Games, which operates a host of online gaming sites, will have to undergo extensive auditing after a Gambling Commission assessment revealed social responsibility, money laundering and marketing failures. It will also receive an official warning and pay a £3.4m fine for the failures.
In Touch Games runs bonusboss.co.uk, cashmo.co.uk, casino.mfortune.co.uk, casino2020.co.uk, drslot.co.uk, mfortune.co.uk, mrspin.co.uk, pocketwin.co.uk and slotfactory.com.
Social responsibility failings included stating in its Responsible Gambling Team interaction guidance that a bonus may be offered if a customer provides identification. It also failed to put into effect its policies and procedures for customer interaction for seven customers where it had concerns that a customer’s activity may indicate problem gambling.
It failed to use all relevant sources of information to ensure effective decision making, and to guide and deliver effective customer interactions for those seven customers. If the Licensee had followed its policy it should have given more consideration to placing mandatory limits on customer accounts.
Anti-money laundering failings included having a risk assessment which did not take into account the risk of allowing customers to use a payment provider which also acts as an exchange for crypto-currencies. it neglected to conduct appropriate levels of Enhanced Customer Due Diligence and failed to critically review Source of Funds information once it was requested.
Fair and transparent terms and practices failings included not stating in an SMS text the minimum and maximum deposits in an offer’s significant terms and not stating in an SMS text the time limit for which the bonus offer could be claimed.
As part of a new licence condition In Touch Games shall, at its own expense, instruct a firm of independent auditors to carry out an audit that ensures full compliance with the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.
Richard Watson, Commission Executive Director, said: “Through our challenging compliance and enforcement activity we will continue our work to raise standards in the industry and continue to hold failing operators to account.”
