Greentube faces British justice: £1M fine
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12 Jan 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The online gambling sector has been shaken once again by a major sanction imposed on Greentube Alderney Limited, a subsidiary of the Novomatic group. On January 5, 2025, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) announced that the operator had been fined £1 million (€1.19 million). The reasons? Persistent deficiencies in social responsibility and the fight against money laundering.
A costly repeat offense
This sanction comes three years after an initial fine of £685,000 (€805,199) imposed in 2021 for similar offenses. Despite the promised improvements, Greentube appears to have struggled to meet its commitments.
John Pierce, UKGC’s Director of Enforcement, said:
“This case is the result of a follow-up assessment to ensure lessons from previous sanctions have been learned. While progress has been made, we have identified further breaches.”
The failings reported fall into two main areas:
- Social responsibility, including failing to adhere to its own policies to protect vulnerable customers.
- Anti-money laundering controls, which were inadequate in the face of unusual financial activity.
Social responsibility
Player deposit limits were based on non-recurring or irregular income.
Inadequate monitoring of customer records. For example, a player who provided a negative bank statement and large transfers to another gaming site was able to deposit £4,000 in four months without proper verification.
Money laundering
A player deposited over £100,000 through complex and suspicious transactions. The investigation into these moves was only initiated after four months.
Greentube has not always complied with its rules on high-risk professions, such as those of financial managers.
A warning for the sector
The UK imposes strict rules to protect players and prevent financial abuse, but this case shows that loopholes persist.
“Operators must be aware that repeated violations will result in harsher sanctions.”
John Pierce
In addition to the fine, Greentube has agreed to donate the funds to social causes. The company has also put in place an action plan to address these shortcomings. However, the question remains: will the efforts be enough to restore the trust of the authorities and players?
An industry under scrutiny
The Greentube case is a reminder that the British authorities do not tolerate repeated breaches. With a cumulative fine of almost £1.7 million over three years, the operator is a stark example of the consequences of negligence in a highly regulated sector.