NetBet fined £650,000
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7 Nov 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The Gambling Commission has fined NetBet £650,000 (approximately €740,000) for multiple breaches of its anti-money laundering and social responsibility obligations.
After several months of investigation, the Gambling Commission, the UK’s gaming regulator, confirmed that NetBet had breached several key provisions of its licence, including paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Licence Condition 2.1.1, relating to the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing.
The breaches occurred between 2023 and 2024, and highlight a systemic failure in risk management and player protection on the NetBet.co.uk platform.
Breaches of social responsibility
The investigators indicated that the platform had seriously failed in its duty to control financial flows and protect players. It relied almost solely on spending thresholds to identify suspicious behaviour, without any contextual analysis.
According to the Commission, NetBet did not implement effective customer interaction processes to reduce the risks associated with excessive gambling. Warning signs such as prolonged night-time sessions, rapid and repeated deposits, or exceeding limits were not detected in time.
For example, a player classified as ‘low risk’ was able to deposit £2,000 in four days via an electronic wallet, even though he worked in a profession considered to be high-risk. Even after submitting a payslip showing a net monthly income of £2,800, the platform did not reassess the risk, even when the player deposited £1,650 in two hours.
Serious failings in the fight against money laundering
The Commission also found structural flaws in NetBet’s assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing risks.
The report mentions major omissions:
- the management of commercial relationships with third-party partners,
- the absence of specific controls for high stakes,
- insufficient monitoring of third-country nationals resident in the UK.
NetBet’s AML (Anti-Money Laundering) system was neither complete nor aligned with UK regulatory requirements.
Finally, NetBet provided inaccurate information in its regulatory reports, in breach of Licence Condition 15.3.1, which requires the provision of accurate and timely data to the Gambling Commission.
Fine and warning
In light of these findings, the Gambling Commission has deemed it necessary to impose a financial penalty of £650,000 on NetBet Enterprises Limited, the proceeds of which will be donated to responsible charities and causes.
The operator will also be required to fund an independent audit of its internal policies, procedures and controls, as well as the costs of the investigation.
John Pierce, Director of Enforcement at the regulator, emphasised the exemplary nature of this decision:
“This case highlights the serious consequences of a failure to comply with anti-money laundering and player protection obligations. We expect all operators to have effective systems in place, designed to protect consumers and prevent crime from entering the game.”
Pierce added that the Commission will intervene systematically where the expected standards are not met.