AG Communications Limited has been fined £1,407,834 by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) for grave violations of its anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility (SR) standards. The settlement money will be used for socially conscious projects by the business, which operates as AspireGlobal and has 58 websites.
AG Communications has now been punished by the regulator twice. The operator paid £237,600 in 2022 for comparable AML violations. The UKGC has stated unequivocally that more severe enforcement will follow persistent infractions.
Regulatory Breaches and Failures
AG Communications was unable to stop consumers from making big purchases too soon before determining the dangers of gambling harm. No safer gambling intervention occurred until the customer reached a £5,000 loss limit within 24 hours, despite the fact that one customer lost £6,000 in under 48 hours.
In another instance, a system malfunction caused a player to lose £7,000 within four hours after making a deposit. They were able to get around deposit limits because of this mistake, and the breach went undetected during a manual check. A previously self-excluded person also succeeded in opening several accounts, exposing more flaws in the business’s responsible gambling policies.
The UKGC also identified major AML shortcomings. The company relied too heavily on financial thresholds, delaying Enhanced Customer Due Diligence (ECDD) checks. One high-risk customer triggered financial alerts but did not undergo an ECDD review for a week. Another, who met deposit thresholds but lacked a high AML risk score, waited eight days for a review—contradicting AG Communications’ own policy.
John Pierce, the UKGC’s Director of Enforcement, condemned the operator’s repeated failures. “This case marks the second occasion that this operator has been subject to enforcement action,” he stated. “Its failure to uphold anti-money laundering standards, delays in necessary interventions, and deficiencies in social responsibility measures are wholly unacceptable.”
He emphasized the need for stricter compliance, warning that repeated breaches will lead to harsher penalties. “Today’s outcome underscores the gravity of these breaches. It is essential that operators not only implement and maintain robust anti-money laundering policies, procedures, and controls but also act swiftly and decisively in response to any indications of suspicious activity.”
The UKGC continues to tighten regulations, ensuring gambling operators prioritize player safety and AML compliance
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