Relax Gaming Granted License by UK Gambling Commission

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission has approved Relax Gaming, the iGaming content supplier and aggregator, for a license.

It means that British gamblers will now be able to enjoy Relax’s portfolio of casino games and they will be made available to operators through the company’s Gibraltar arm.

In anticipation of the license, Relax Gaming has already moved its operator partners Boylesports, 32Red, and BetVictor to its Gibraltar network and Entain’s UK brands (LON: ENT), Ladbrokes, Coral and Gala Bingo, will soon be joining them.

The company’s expansion into the UK market comes as it works to strengthen its foothold in other regulated markets, and in particular the Nordics.

Following a fruitful relationship with the Gambling Commission through our Malta-based company, having all our products and services approved for our Gibraltar branch is another major commercial highlight for us. Its significance will be felt across the business, including by our valued third-party partners. This licence acquisition represents fresh opportunity in our drive to deliver excellence and growth across all regulated markets.

Tommi MaijalaRelax Gaming Chief Executive

Relax Gaming first received a Gibraltar license in October last year, which gave it the ability to work with many more partners. Earlier this year, the company announced that it was hoping to expand into the UK and appointed Alba Monroy as its new senior business development manager to aid this.

The news came on the same day that the online operator Stakers surrendered its operating license in Great Britain after it lost an appeal at a First Tier Tribunal against the suspension of its license last month. The Gambling Commission initially suspended the operator’s license due to a number of unspecified compliance failings.

Richard Williams, the solicitor who represented Stakers at the appeal, said that the operator decided it was better to stop operating in Great Britain than pay a financial penalty. He explained that as the Tribunal turned down Stakers’ application to stay the suspension of its license, by the time the appeal took place the operator’s business in Great Britain had effectively ceased to exist.

According to Williams, the Tribunal took 6 months from the final hearing, and 12 months from the initial suspension to issue its decision.