Greentube Alderney Limited Fined £1M for Regulatory Failures

_{Greentube Alderney, trading as Admiral Casino, faces a £1 million fine. (Image: David Dixon / Alamy)}

Online casino operator Greentube Alderney Limited, trading as Admiral Casino, has agreed to pay £1 million following an investigation by the Gambling Commission.

The fine comes after the company was found to have breached social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.

This marks the second regulatory action against Greentube, which previously paid £685,000 in 2021 for similar failures. The settlement money this time will be directed towards socially responsible causes.

Social Responsibility Failures

The Commission found that Admiral Casino failed to adequately implement policies designed to protect customers and ensure gambling is conducted safely.

In one case, a customer provided a bank statement showing negative balances and significant gambling activity, yet no action was taken until they had deposited £4,000 over four months.

Other issues included failing to ensure customer limits were based on regular income and not sufficiently verifying the authenticity of customer documents.

Anti-Money Laundering Failures

Greentube was also found to have neglected its AML obligations, including delays in scrutinising suspicious transactions. One customer’s bank statement, showing over £100,000 in complex transfers and a negative balance, was not properly reviewed for four months.

The operator also failed to assess risks associated with "risky occupations," such as a finance manager who could misappropriate funds. Additionally, connections between related accounts, including one tied to a convicted drug supplier, were not identified or escalated promptly.

Repeat Offender

John Pierce, the Commission's Director of Enforcement, stated that this investigation was a follow-up to ensure the company had addressed past failures. While improvements were noted, further breaches highlighted the need for more effective measures.

Pierce emphasised that businesses repeatedly failing to uphold standards could face harsher penalties. "We want to remind all operators that any business found to breach rules for a second time should expect increasingly stringent enforcement action," he said.

Summary of Key Failures

Social Responsibility:

• Failing to base customer limits on sustainable income.
• Not verifying the authenticity of customer documents.
• Delays in identifying signs of customer vulnerability.

Anti-Money Laundering:

• Delayed scrutiny of suspicious transactions.
• Ignoring risks associated with “risky occupations.”
• Failing to escalate accounts with links to known offenders.

The Gambling Commission will continue monitoring Greentube to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.