TGP Europe is set to leave Britain’s licensed gambling market following the conclusion of an investigation by the Gambling Commission (GC) into the white-label operator.
The regulator informed TGP Europe it would have to pay a fine of £3.3m and “make significant improvements” if it were to continue to operate in the country.
Instead of accepting the sanction, the company opted to surrender its licence and shutter operations in the region.
The £3.3m fine was issued to TGP Europe by the GC for “failing to carry out sufficient checks on business partners and breaching anti-money laundering (AML) rules”.
The GC’s investigation also found the company failed to “carry out effective due diligence on each entity involved in the ownership of the third party”, in addition to completing inadequate background checks on the source of funds for business arrangements.
TGP Europe also failed to sufficiently consider money laundering risks or “any activity by a third party that is illegal, in either GB or the territory in which it is conducted”.
This is TGP Europe’s second sanction from the GC, following a £316,250 fine issued in 2023 for similar due diligence and AML failings.
TGP Europe’s exit from the market could have significant ramifications for several English football clubs.
Various TGP Europe partners act as front-of-shirt sponsors for Premier League teams – AFC Bournemouth are sponsored by bj88 while Wolverhampton Wanderers are sponsored by Debet.
Fulham are sponsored by SBOTOP, whose parent company Celton Manx this week relinquished its licence in the Isle of Man.
Although Newcastle’s shirt sponsor is Saudi Arabian brand Sela, the club also has sponsorship deals with Fun88 that utilises TGP Europe’s white-label services.
Burnley, who will play in the Premier League next season after securing promotion from the Championship, were sponsored last season by TGP Europe brand 96.com.
With TGP Europe leaving Britain, the aforementioned football teams will consequently be sponsored by unlicensed gambling brands.
The GC confirmed it made contact with the affected clubs, seeking assurance to establish if they had carried out sufficient due diligence before entering sponsorship agreements with TGP Europe and its partners.
A GC statement read: “Clubs will be asked to demonstrate that they have assurance that any steps to geo-block the sites are effective, recognising that some blocking can be easily by-passed by use of tools such as a virtual private network (VPN).
“Clubs will be expected to carry out sufficient due diligence to assure the Commission that consumers cannot transact with the sites from Great Britain by any means. The Commission will also be taking steps to independently verify effective measures are in place.
“The letter warns that club officers may be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain.”
Everton’s shirt sponsor, Stake, was ordered to leave Britain back in February.
The crypto operator was the subject of a GC investigation into a social media video showing the Stake logo, which featured an adult actress outside of Nottingham Trent University.
On the exit from the market by TGP Europe, the GC’s head of enforcement, John Pierce, said: “This case involves a gambling company that was unwilling or unable to meet the regulatory standards we expect from our licensees. It is right that they have now exited the British market.
“Following TGP’s exit, several online gambling operators can no longer lawfully offer gambling facilities to consumers located in Great Britain.
“These sites, previously operating under TGP’s licence, may not provide adequate protection against criminal activity or gambling-related harm and should not be available to GB consumers with immediate effect.”
Pierce added that the case should serve as a warning to any other operators that have dealings with TGP Europe.
He continued: “We will also conduct ongoing spot checks as necessary to ensure TGP are not accessible to consumers in Great Britain by any means. Should any of these sites be available to GB consumers, we will take appropriate action.
“It is essential that football clubs play their part in protecting fans and GB consumers who may be exposed to advertising of these sites through their sponsorship arrangements from harm or exploitation. All licensed operators with similar arrangements to TGP should take notice of the action taken in this case.
“We would like to warn consumers that sites operated by TGP are now unlicensed and may not provide protections against criminality or gambling-related harm.”
BC.GAME, who sponsors fellow Premier League side Leicester City and is also affiliated with TGP Europe, closed down its UK site back in December 2024 following a legal dispute with the Curaçao Gaming Control Board.
The post TGP Europe set to leave Britain following £3.3m Gambling Commission sanction first appeared on EGR Intel.
White-label firm surrenders licence over insufficient checks on partners, while regulator warns six British football clubs about “the risks of promoting unlicensed gambling websites”
The post TGP Europe set to leave Britain following £3.3m Gambling Commission sanction first appeared on EGR Intel.