British gambling regulator takes part in raid on illegal venue in Wales
The Gambling Commission joined police, HMRC and Cardiff City Council Licensing.
UK.- The British Gambling Commission joined police, tax authorities and Cardiff City Council Licensing in a raid on an unlicensed gambling venue in the Welsh capital Cardiff. Police made two arrests in the operation on February 28 as part of a clampdown on fraud dubbed Operation Henhouse.
The operation at an industrial unit in the Splott area involved six warrants. The arrests were made on suspicion of money laundering and offences under the Gambling Act. Police say they seized six poker tables, a prize wheel, poker coins and chips and flat-screen televisions.
The Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) led the raid with the Gambling Commission, HMRC and Cardiff City Council Licensing.
Detective Sergeant Emma Brown, of Tarian’s Proactive Economic Crime Team (PECT), said: “Fraud has become the most commonly recorded crime in England and Wales. It is often committed in conjunction with other serious offences, such as money laundering.
“Over the course of the Henhouse intensification period, we have arrested individuals under suspicion of Fraud by False Representation and money laundering. This is together with executing warrants in respect of the distribution of illegal TV Firesticks.
“Our engagement teams have also delivered cybercrime and fraud awareness inputs to community groups, colleges and universities, and businesses. This will help prevent people from becoming victims of fraud.”
Gambling Commission executive director of operations Kay Roberts said: “We are committed to tackling illegal gambling activity across the UK. We will continue working closely with law enforcement and partner agencies to achieve this.”
Meanwhile, the Gambling Commission has named the nine members of its new Industry Forum, through which it hopes to gain more insights and feedback from operators. Announced in September, the forum is the regulator’s fourth “special advisory” after its Lived Experience Panel, the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling and the Digital Advisory Panel.
Nick Rust, the former chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), was named as the first chair of the Industry Forum in November last year. A former managing director of Ladbrokes UK, Coral Group, and BSkyB Gaming, he will serve for three years.
