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UKGC Imposes £9.4M Fine on 888 UK Limited Over Social Responsibility and AML Failures
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has imposed a fine of £9.4 million on 888 UK Limited for social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures.
888 UK Limited, which operates 78 websites including 888.com, has also received an official warning and will have to undergo extensive independent auditing.
The penalty package marks the second time 888 has faced an enforcement action by the UKGC who in 2017 ordered the FTSE250 operator to pay £7.8 million due to its failure to protect vulnerable customers.
Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the UKGC, said: “The circumstances of the last enforcement action may be different but both cases involve failing consumers – and this is something that is not acceptable.
“Today’s fine is one of our largest to date, and all should be clear that if there is a repeat of the failures at 888 then we have to seriously consider the suitability of the operator to uphold the licensing objectives and keep gambling safe and crime-free.
“Consumers in Britain deserve to know that when they gamble, they are participating in a leisure activity where operators play their part in keeping them safe and are carrying out checks to ensure money is crime-free.”
Social responsibility failures included:
- not effectively identifying players at risk of harm because their policies determined financial checks should be carried out after a customer had deposited £40,000
- not carrying out a customer interaction with a customer who lost £37,000 in a six week period during the Covid-19 pandemic
- not taking into account the Commission’s formal guidance on customer interaction
- giving a customer they knew was an NHS worker earning £1400 a month a monthly deposit cap of £1300
- most of the interactions conducted predominately consisted of an email just detailing the responsible gambling tools and did not require a customer response
- during a Commission assessment, there was no evidence of the operator proactively placing restrictions on accounts where social responsibility concerns were raised
- not ensuring that if a customer has multiple accounts those accounts are managed for customer interaction holistically and financial limits can be implemented across all accounts. In one example, a customer had one of his 11 accounts restricted because of Source of Funds (SOF) concerns, but he was allowed to open three more accounts and continue gambling.
Money laundering failures included:
- implementing a policy where customers were allowed to deposit £40,000 before carrying out SOF checks
- accepting verbal assurances from customers as to employment income and being reliant on open-source information to validate SOF
- not setting out which documents should be requested as part of SOF checks
- allowing one customer to spend £65,835 in just 5 months without SOF checks being carried out
- not effectively implementing its own policies which stated that customers have 10 days to present SOF documentation before their account was restricted. In one case a customer’s SOF were not requested until three weeks after the 10 day trigger and lost £15,000 during that period.
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It’s official, The UAE Lottery’s first AED 100 Million Grand Prize has been won, and verification is now underway!
The UAE Lottery is delighted to confirm this historic milestone for our winner, our organization, and the UAE’s entertainment and gaming landscape.
As part of our standard operating procedures, we are conducting due diligence to ensure that all internal checks, security protocols, and General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority compliance requirements are fulfilled before further details on our winner are shared and the prize is awarded.
Responsible gaming, player safety, and operational transparency remain at the heart of everything we do. Safeguarding the integrity of our draws and maintaining the trust of all players continue to be our highest priorities.
We will share more details about the lucky winner once all verification steps have been finalized.
The post THE UAE LOTTERY CONFIRMS FIRST AED 100 MILLION GRAND PRIZE WINNER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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S8UL creating history as the first Indian organization to secure four nominations at Esports Awards 2025.
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In a landmark moment for Indian esports, S8UL, a global powerhouse in gaming and esports content, has made history by becoming the first Indian organization to secure four nominations at the prestigious Esports Awards 2025, set to take place in Las Vegas on November 19, 2025.
Equivalent to the Oscars of gaming, the Esports Awards are the most esteemed global recognition platform for excellence in the esports and gaming ecosystem. Each year, they celebrate the players, creators, organizations, and innovations shaping the future of gaming worldwide.
This year, S8UL has earned nominations across four major categories, marking another milestone for India on the world esports map:
Esports Content Group of the Year – S8UL Esports
Having won this award three years in a row (2022, 2023, and 2024), S8UL returns as a frontrunner in the category that has established it among the most decorated organizations in Esports Awards history. The nomination further reinforces its dominance as a content powerhouse and community leader.
Esports Personality of the Year – Animesh Agarwal (8Bit Thug)
As the driving force behind S8UL, Animesh Agarwal has been recognised for his immense contributions to India’s gaming ecosystem and his leadership in bridging the worlds of esports, entertainment, and brand partnerships. Under his guidance, S8UL has become one of the most influential organizations in global esports.
Esports Content Creator of the Year – Raj Varma (Snax)
Raj Varma, one of India’s most beloved creators, has been nominated for his engaging storytelling, skill-based content, and influence in shaping the next generation of gamers. A former esports athlete, he is now among the country’s biggest gaming creators, with over 2.15 million subscribers on YouTube and 1.1 million followers on Instagram.
Streamer of the Year – Payal Dhare (PayalGaming)
One of India’s most prominent gaming personalities, Payal Dhare has been recognized for her trailblazing journey that continues to inspire millions of women gamers. Known for curating diverse gaming content, she remains the only female gamer from India to win an international award, paving the way for more women to pursue gaming professionally.
This recognition follows a landmark year for S8UL, which represented India at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh after becoming the first and only Indian organization selected for the prestigious Club Partner Program by the Esports World Cup Foundation. Last year, Naman Mathur (Mortal) brought further pride to India by winning ‘Esports Content Creator of the Year,’ marking a first for an Indian creator on such a global platform.
As the world gears up for the Esports Awards 2025, all eyes are now on S8UL and its creators to once again make India proud on the world’s biggest esports stage.
Voting for the Esports Awards 2025 is now live at www.esportsawards.com/vote, and will remain open until November 12, 2025.
The post S8UL creating history as the first Indian organization to secure four nominations at Esports Awards 2025. appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The Gaming in Germany Conference, which will take place November 11 in Berlin, has added several new speakers to its already impressive agenda.
Sebastian Buchholz, Head of Licensing and Market Supervision, Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), will deliver the event’s keynote address.
The operator’s perspective will be well represented at this year’s Gaming in Germany Conference, with Christian Heins, Director iGaming Tipico; Alex Green, Vice President – Games, ZEAL Network; and Ewout Keuleers, former General Counsel, Kindred Group all confirmed to make an appearance at our event.
Naturally, attendees will also hear from both German and European trade associations, with Dr. Dirk Quermann, President, Deutscher Online Casinoverband (DOCV); Mathias Dahms, President, Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV); and Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) contributing.
Willem van Oort, founder of Gaming in Germany commented: “I am extremely pleased with this year’s speaker lineup. I think it speaks of the relevance of our event, and especially the key topics that we are highlighting this year: the threat of the black market and the evaluation of the 2021 State Gambling Treaty. I see that licensed operators are highly committed to making the German iGaming market more sustainable and competitive and I am very happy that we are trusted to play a role in promoting fruitful discussion and debate on these topics.”
“As the event takes place while the evaluation of the 2021 State Gambling Treaty is ongoing, this is certainly the time to be part of the conversation,” van Oort added.
Breakout program and networking opportunities
In addition to its main program, the Gaming in Germany Conference will also feature several highly practical breakout sessions on data compliance, game certification, RG, live casino, eSports, and much more.
The full agenda, including breakout program, is available here.
In addition to a loaded program, the Gaming in Germany Conference also offers plenty of networking opportunities during pre-conference dinner, coffee breaks, lunch, and concluding networking drinks.
Practical information
The 2025 Gaming in Germany Conference takes place Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at the DoubleTree Hilton Ku’damm in Berlin – just 100 meters from the magnificent Kurfürstendamm.
The post Gaming in Germany Conference confirms new speakers, breakout program appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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