UKGC Fines Videoslots £650,000 for AML and Player Safety Failures
Videoslots has been ordered by the UK Gambling Commission to pay a GBP 650,000 penalty for failures in anti-money laundering controls and player-protection systems.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The UKGC said its investigation uncovered multiple shortcomings across monitoring, intervention and payment screening at the operator, which runs brands including Videoslots, Mr Vegas and Mega Riches. In addition to the fine, the regulator issued a formal warning and mandated an independent audit of the operator’s systems and processes.
Inspectors found that automated risk-detection tools repeatedly failed to flag clear signs of harm and suspicious activity. In one case, a customer lost GBP 6,550 over three active days within a two-month period without receiving any contact or safeguarding from the operator. Deposit limit settings were also flawed: limits were calculated on a calendar-month basis and did not take account of the first deposit in a period, allowing players to breach their intended limits. The UKGC cited examples where a player with a GBP 3,000 limit lost GBP 5,000 in a month and another with a GBP 2,000 limit lost GBP 7,500 in 18 days.
On anti-money laundering, the regulator highlighted an over-reliance on algorithmic screening. One customer deposited more than GBP 75,000 in 16 days using prepaid vouchers and later withdrew the funds to four separate bank accounts. The account was also accessed from outside Great Britain without triggering enhanced checks. The Commission’s findings underline long-standing concerns about open-loop payment methods and anonymous voucher purchases, including when vouchers are obtainable via third-party or crypto-related channels.
Related: Spelinspektionen Issues SEK12m Fine to Videoslots for Safety Failings
More Regulation News
Industry Reaction and What Operators Should Do
John Pierce, director of enforcement at the UK Gambling Commission, described the shortcomings as symptomatic of weak oversight and inadequate early intervention by the operator. The Commission has updated its AML risk guidance in recent months to call out the specific risks posed by voucher-based products and other open-loop payment mechanisms.
A gambling compliance consultant with two decades’ experience, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "This case shows the limits of treating monitoring as something that can be entirely delegated to software. Operators must combine robust automated signals with skilled human review and clear escalation policies. Where you see rapid, concentrated deposits – especially from voucher channels or across multiple accounts – that should trigger immediate verification and a temporary pause on activity until the source of funds and player circumstances are clear."
Industry observers note the penalty adds to regulatory pressure that Videoslots is already facing in Europe. Earlier this year Sweden’s Gambling Authority fined the operator SEK 12 million for failing to act swiftly on signs of harmful play. Together, the UK and Swedish actions signal tighter scrutiny across major regulated markets and rising expectations around both AML safeguards and player safety interventions.
Videoslots did not offer a detailed public response to the UKGC action at the time of publication. The independent audit required by the Commission is expected to examine governance arrangements, the design and operation of monitoring systems, and staff training and escalation procedures. Depending on its findings, the audit could prompt further regulatory measures or operational requirements.
For operators, the practical takeaway is clear: compliance frameworks must be reviewed end to end – from payment acceptance and transaction monitoring to monthly limit calculations and manual case handling. Regulators are signalling that reliance on automated systems without effective governance and human oversight will no longer meet expected standards.
As enforcement activity intensifies, operators and third-party suppliers should reassess their reliance on prepaid and voucher payment flows, ensure geo-location and identity checks are enforced for out-of-jurisdiction access, and implement rapid reporting to regulators when anomalous activity is detected.
RELATED TOPICS: Regulation
Latest News
Most Read
Google Reclassifies Sweepstakes Casinos, Shifting Paid-Search Advantage Toward Social Casino Operators
Nov 19, 2025$169K Table-Game Jackpot Lands at Caesars Palace as Multiple Big Wins Hit Las Vegas
Nov 18, 2025Dimitar Berbatov Fronts LiveScore Bet’s New Safer Gambling Campaign
Nov 19, 2025Must Read
Interviews
Review this New Post
Leave a Comment
User Comments
Comments for UKGC Fines Videoslots £650,000 for AML and Player Safety Failures