Gambling Commission clamps down on Caesars PML holders

The Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published further details of its high-profile investigation into Caesars Entertainment having taken action against several of the firm’s employees. The news follows a £13m fine issued by the UKGC to Caesars in April 2020 for “systemic failings” in its VIP programmes. The UKGC investigators also identified failings in the operator’s social responsibility, anti-money laundering (AML) and customer interaction practices over a two-year period between January 2016 and December 2018. In one instance, the business failed to conduct adequate source of funds checks on a customer who was allowed to deposit £3.5m and lose £1.6m over a period of three months. At the time, a separate investigation was launched into the firm’s personal management licence (PML) holders. This came after concerns were raised that the firm had failed to take reasonable steps to address the identified issues. As a result of the investigation, seven of Caesars’ PML holders received formal warnings from the UKGC, with a further two receiving ‘advice to conduct’ letters, which constitutes an informal warning. Three of Caesars’ PML holders surrendered their licences after they were placed under review by the UKGC, while a fourth chose to do so before a review notification was issued. The investigation revealed one PML holder had not paid licence fees, leading to a revocation of his licence, while another had their licence revoked following an altercation with a guest at a place of work. A further 18 were issued with informal warnings outside of the UKGC investigation. UKGC executive director Richard Watson said: “All personal licence holders should be aware that they will be held accountable, where appropriate, for the regulatory failings within the operators they manage.”