Government punishes illegal gambling boss who failed to pay out £269,000
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14 Dec 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes A man from Stoke-on-Trent, England, has been convicted of running an illegal gambling network via WhatsApp. He failed to pay a customer his £269,000 winnings. The judiciary speaks of ‘serious risks to consumers’.
Haydon Simcock (40) from Weston Coyney was found guilty of offering and promoting illegal gambling without a licence. He received a 30-week suspended prison sentence and 200 hours of community service. He must also pay £230,000 to the victim and £60,000 in costs to the Gambling Commission.
He promised: ‘Your money is safe,’ but never paid out.
The case came to light after tips from an investigative journalist at the Racing Post. Simcock posed as a VIP manager for a bookmaker and lured people to his gambling channel on WhatsApp. There, he arranged everything himself: from opening accounts to collecting cash from customers’ homes.
The investigation revealed that Simcock also made gambling deals with people he suspected of drug trafficking. Messages on his phone showed that he was considering ‘making a dissatisfied customer disappear’. That customer ultimately never saw his £269,000 winnings.
Yet Simcock kept telling him that the money was ‘safe’.
“Mobile apps don’t make it invisible”
The case is notable because it is the first in which WhatsApp has been identified as a platform for illegal gambling in the United Kingdom. The case was heard by the court in Birmingham, in collaboration with Staffordshire Police.
John Pierce, Director of Enforcement at the Gambling Commission, emphasises the importance of this conviction. ‘This shows exactly why illegal gambling is so dangerous. No protection, no supervision, just exploitation,’ he says. ‘We want consumers to know that we can also gather evidence and take action via apps such as WhatsApp.’
Simcock admitted that he operated without a licence between May 2023 and September 2024. He was given a prison sentence, but will not have to serve it if he behaves well for two years. He must also complete 20 hours of community service.
Why this case matters
Simcock’s conviction is a clear signal from the British regulator. The gambling sector has grown significantly in recent years through digital channels, but those who break the law will be dealt with. This case shows that even “invisible” platforms such as WhatsApp are not beyond the reach of the law.
The ruling comes at a time when pressure on illegal gambling practices is increasing. The Gambling Commission wants to prevent more consumers from falling victim to networks that operate without rules or guarantees.