The UK's regulatory body for gambling, the Gambling Commission, has suspended the operating licences of online gambling company In Touch Games. This suspension
comes as the commission conducts a comprehensive review under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005.
The commission's decision to suspend the licences is based on suspicions that the operator has not adhered to licence conditions related to money laundering prevention, maintaining fair and transparent terms and practices, and reporting significant events.
In Touch Games operates 11 websites, including bonusboss.co.uk, cashmo.co.uk, drslot.co.uk, jammymonkey.com, and slotfactory.com. These trading names are currently listed as "inactive" on the regulator's website.
This action follows a previous penalty imposed on In Touch Games in February, where the company was fined £6.1 million due to shortcomings in social responsibility and money laundering prevention. Some of the social responsibility failings included delayed interactions with flagged customers and accepting unverified income claims from customers engaging in unsociable-hour gambling.
Money laundering failures were attributed to inadequate policies, procedures, and controls, as well as insufficient consideration of the regulator's risk assessments and guidance.
This marks the third time that In Touch Games has faced regulatory action, with a £2.2 million settlement in 2019 and a £3.4 million fine in 2021, along with warnings about ongoing failures.
As of the latest information available from Companies House, In Touch Games Ltd's accounts are overdue, with figures up to July 29, 2022, expected by April 29, 2023.
A spokesperson for the Gambling Commission emphasized that the suspension is immediate and does not prevent the operator from allowing consumers to access their accounts and withdraw funds. They also urged the operator to focus on treating consumers fairly and keeping them informed during the suspension period.
In June 2022, Skywind Holdings announced its acquisition of In Touch Games Group. Skywind Group, an online gambling business, has not yet commented on the suspension.
The Gambling Commission is responsible for licensing, regulating, advising, and providing guidance to individuals and businesses involved in gambling activities in the UK, including the National Lottery. Photo by Stefan Schweihofer, Wikimedia commons.