GGPoker slapped with £673,000 UKGC fine over AML and social responsibility failings

GGPoker has been fined £672,829 by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) over social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) failures as the regulator continues to clamp down on the industry.

NSUS Limited, which trades as GGPoker and operates the ggpoker.co.uk domain in the UK, will also receive an official warning regarding its shortcomings.

In the UKGC’s findings, GGPoker breached two AML conditions relating to the prevention of the practice and measures for operators based in foreign jurisdictions.

The operator also failed to comply with the social responsibility code of practice.

On the social responsibility deficiency, GGPoker was found to have failed to identify customers who may be at risk of experiencing gambling-related harm, as well as failing to interact with said customers.

Additionally, GGPoker failed to take measures to prevent marketing material reaching those at risk from gambling-related harm, with 125 self-excluded customers receiving marketing emails.

On the AML front, GGPoker failed to conduct adequate risk assessments of the business being used for money laundering and terrorist financing.

GGPoker was also found to have lacked the “appropriate policies, procedures and controls” to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing.

The UKGC noted GGPoker co-operated with the regulator throughout the investigation.

GGPoker is one of the largest poker sites in the world and, according to poker traffic tracking site PokerScout, GGPoker’s dotcom offering tops the cash game rankings (excluding tournaments) with a seven-day average of 6,800 players, at the time of writing. PokerStars is in second spot with 4,000 players.

Last month, Betfred was hit with a £2.9m fine by the UKGC over similar failings while in August spread betting firm Spreadex was handed a £1.36m penalty as the UKGC continues to reprimand operators across the board.

EGR has contacted GGPoker for comment.