In the United Kingdom and online casino operator In Touch Games Limited has been officially sanctioned by the Gambling Commission regulator for shortcomings in its social responsibility, anti-money laundering and marketing protocols.
The watchdog used an official Monday press release to detail that the formal reprimand additionally came with a £3.4 million ($4.8 million) fine after the British iGaming operator was adjudged to have failed to properly interact with seven customers who had been exhibiting possible signs of problem gambling.
Player precautions:
Headquartered in the West Midlands town of Halesowen, In Touch Games Limited is responsible for the online casinos at SlotFactory.com, MrSpin.co.uk, DrSlot.co.uk, BonusBoss.co.uk, Cashmo.co.uk, PocketWin.co.uk, Casino2020.co.uk and mFortune.co.uk. The Gambling Commission explained that the operator was also found to have not used all relevant sources of information to ensure effective decision-making regarding these aficionados or given proper consideration to the prospect of instituting mandatory deposit limits.
Flawed findings:
The Gambling Commission went on to disclose that In Touch Games Limited was moreover disciplined for anti-money laundering deficiencies that included not conducting risk assessments on customers choosing to utilize a payment provider that could simultaneously serve as an exchange for crypto-currencies. The regulator stated that this shortfall additionally ran to ‘neglecting to conduct appropriate levels of enhanced customer due diligence’ and ‘failing to critically review source of funds information once it was requested.’
Confusing communication:
Richard Watson serves as the Executive Director for the Gambling Commission and he used the press release to proclaim that In Touch Games Limited was furthermore reprimanded for ‘fair and transparent terms and practices failings’ that encompassed not specifying the maximum and minimum deposit terms in mobile marketing texts for one of its bonus offers. He went on to divulged that these shortfalls likewise ran to ‘the time limit for which the bonus offer could be claimed.’
Read a statement from Watson…
“Through our challenging compliance and enforcement activity we will continue our work to raise standards in the industry and continue to hold failing operators to account.”
Dutch detente:
In related news and the Netherlands’ Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) gaming regulator has announced the inking of a memorandum of understanding with the Gambling Commission that is to see the pair ‘better support each other in their supervisory tasks.’ The body used an official Monday press release of its own to pronounce that these efforts are to include the ‘exchange of general information’ on things such as best practices and issues related to ‘combating crime, protecting the player and preventing gambling addiction.’
Growing gang:
Rene Jansen, Chairman for the KSA, revealed that the duo had already cooperated on an informal basis but that the Gambling Commission has now joined a list of its official partners that had already included the iGaming regulators for Belgium, Malta, Sweden and France.
Jansen’s statement read…
“Such a memorandum of understanding forms a good basis for sharing knowledge, collaborating and smoothly exchanging information. A clear signal is also sent to game providers that cooperation is taking place at an international level. Online games of chance move across borders and this is why it is important for regulators to work together.”
