UKGC comes down hard on Blue Star Planet for AML/CTF Failings

The operator behind gambling website 10bet, Blue Star Planet, has been fined a sum of £620,000 by the UK Gambling Commission for an variety of failings related to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulatory compliance. The UKGC is once again clamps down on any form of breaches among its registered operators as it continues its campaign against illegalities in the UK gambling industry.

On the case of 10bet, after a thorough compliance assessment, the regulator found out the operator’s processes at preventing money laundering and protecting vulnerable customers from harmful play were subpar. The regulator uncovered glaring failures in their responsible gambling policies, procedures, controls and practices.

As a case in point for the regulator, between November 2019 and June 2021, Blue Star Planet was in clear breach of LCCP paragraphs 1,2 and 3 of licence condition 12.1.1, including paragraph 1 of 12.1.2. These stipulations mandate offshore operators offering their sites in the UK to comply with the regulator’s money laundering, terrorist financing, and transfer of funds regulations.

On several occasions, the regulator discovered, the operator failed to interact with customers who were in danger of experiencing gambling harm. In particular, Blue Star Planet failed to display on its screen a statement showing it is licensed by the UKGC, its account number and a link to their current status on the Commission website.

One of the mitigating factors the UKGC noted was the systemic failures due to a lax senior management.

Asides the fine, the operator has been asked to publish a statement of facts in relation to the case and funding on Commission costs, which come in at £3,571.25.
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