Aspire Global to pay $1.78 million in UKGC regulatory settlement

Gambling operator AG Communications Limited, trading as Aspire Global, has agreed to pay £1.4 million ($1.78 million) as part of a regulatory settlement with the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) following an investigation into social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) failures.

The settlement, as announced, will see the funds directed towards socially responsible causes. The UKGC’s inquiry found that Aspire Global, which operates 58 gambling websites, had inadequate safeguards in place to prevent problem gambling and to properly monitor financial transactions.

The Commission identified multiple breaches of responsible gambling protocols, with ineffective systems allowing customers to spend significant amounts before risk assessments were conducted.

In one case, a customer lost £6,000 ($7,627) in 48 hours, but an intervention was only attempted after reaching a daily loss limit of £5,000 ($6,356). Another incident involved a player who deposited and lost £7,000 in just over four hours due to a system failure that allowed play beyond a preset limit. The company also failed to prevent a self-excluded customer from opening more than 100 gambling accounts, depositing £30,000, and losing £19,000 over a 21-month period.

The UKGC’s probe also revealed serious deficiencies in Aspire Global’s AML protocols. The company’s policies were overly reliant on financial thresholds, delaying Enhanced Customer Due Diligence (ECDD) checks.

In one instance, a customer who reached a financial threshold was not reviewed for a week. The investigation also found that Aspire Global failed to follow its own AML policies, resulting in delayed financial monitoring and risk assessments.

This is the second time Aspire Global has faced regulatory action in the UK. In 2022, the operator was fined £237,600 for AML violations.

John Pierce, UKGC Director of Enforcement, said: “This case marks the second occasion that this operator has been subject to enforcement action. Its failure to uphold anti-money laundering standards, delays in necessary interventions, and deficiencies in social responsibility measures are wholly unacceptable.”

He added: “This case stands as a clear warning to all operators that repeated regulatory failings will result in increasingly stringent enforcement action.”

The UKGC noted that Aspire Global’s breaches were serious and repeated, particularly given the prior enforcement action in 2022. Compliance assessments in 2023 also uncovered ongoing violations despite previous regulatory guidance.

However, the Commission acknowledged that the company has since taken corrective measures, including a third-party compliance audit and enhanced internal training programs. Aspire Global also cooperated fully with the investigation.