The British regulator detected social responsibility and AML failings in Lindar’s online gambling business.

UK.- The Gambling Commission has announced that it has agreed a regulatory settlement with Lindar Media Limited over social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) failings related to online gambling. The regulator said Lindar Media, which operates MrQ.com, will pay £690,947.

The Gambling Commission’s investigation found that the company had breached rules through insufficient implementation of AML policies, procedures and controls and deficiencies in responsible gambling policies, procedures, controls and practices. It also identified inadequate reporting of key events and noted that the company’s head of regulatory compliance had occupied other management posts without the regulator’s approval. 

The regulator said Lindar had also failed to conduct marketing in a socially responsible manner and had made no annual contribution to support research, prevention and treatment for those harmed by gambling.

Regarding the AML failings the Gambling Commission found that all customers were automatically assigned as low-risk for money laundering without adequate profiling. A number of customers were able to deposit and lose £10,000 in a short space of time without triggering any interactions.

As for the marketing breaches, the regulator found two examples of adverts for MrQ that could appeal to minors. One ran on Reddit on June 29, 2022, and made use of a popular meme that features three Spiderman figures. On August 3, 2022, MrQ.com used cartoon imagery to promote King Kong cash pots, Piggy Bank Bills and The Doghouse Megaways without gating the content. 

British Gambling Commission creates new Industry Forum

The Gambling Commission has created a new ten-member body named the Industry Forum, which it intends to use to improve its understanding of operators’ views. It says it will begin looking for a chair for the body this month. The chair will be appointed for a three-month term.

The forum joins other stakeholder engagement initiatives and advisory groups such as the regulator’s Lived Experience Advisory Panel and Advisory Board for Safer Gambling. The Gambling Commission’s chairman Marcus Boyle said it would provide the regulator with a new way to communicate with the industry.