UK Gambling Commission issues first fine for misleading advertisements

The regulatory body’s decision marks the first penalty it has issued directly related to advertisement.

The UKGC established that between 2015 and 2016 BGO published nine advertisements on its website that were “potentially misleading to customers”, as well as 14 on affiliate sites.

The regulator also said that BGO did not take “timely and effective action” and provided “inaccurate assurances” that such issues had been addressed.

Since May 2015, the regulator’s License Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) has required licensed operators to clearly state the limitations or rules behind free bets, bonuses or similar offers.

Paul Hope, Programme Director at the UKGC, said: “We have made it clear to the industry that misleading advertising is a serious issue; we have powers to tackle it, including the power to impose financial penalties such as this.

“We want operators to take note that the issues identified in the decision notice are likely to form the basis for future compliance assessments and could lead to enforcement action.”

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Josh Fisher

Journalist

Josh Fisher is an experienced journalist and editorial leader who contributed to Gambling Insider as a guest writer, providing industry-focused news coverage and insight for the publication. His work for Gambling Insider included reporting on marketing strategy and brand development within the online casino sector, such as Mansion’s high-profile TV and marketing campaign for Casino.com.

Joshua has since built a distinguished career in B2B media and currently serves as Editor in Chief at Endeavor Business Media, where he oversees editorial direction, content strategy and publication quality across a diverse portfolio.

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