British man charged over alleged unlicensed betting operation

A Gambling Commission investigation alleges that the man claimed to work for an unlicensed operation called The Post Bookmakers 

UK.- A man from Stoke-on-Trent will face a jury trial on February 16-18, 2026 accused of providing betting without a gambling licence. It is alleged that Haydon Simcock took horse racing bets between October 2023 and his arrest by Staffordshire Police in September 2024. He is also charged with advertising betting offers between May 26 2023 and March 1 2024.

The Gambling Commission began investigating the 39-year-old after the Racing Post carried out an undercover interview. The racing media outlet says that Simcock claimed to be the commercial manager for an unlicensed betting operation called The Post Bookmakers and that he took bets via WhatsApp.

Simcock reportedly claimed that The Post had as many as 10 employees and 1,300 customers. He said some had stopped betting with licensed operators because of the Gambling Commission’s affordability checks and other account restrictions. Birmingham Magistrates court was told last week that a former racehorse owner lost £270,000 after the unlicensed betting business collapsed.

Simcock, who is the former manager of a racing ownership syndicate, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Emily Andrew KC, representing him, said: “Mr Simcock’s defence will be that he believed the owner of the business The Post had a licence and that he was working to the instructions of the owner.” Sam Stein KC, for the prosecution, said the owner of The Post has not yet been traced by the Gambling Commission.

Gambling Commission issues warning over payment options for illegal gambling

Meanwhile, the British Gambling Commission has issued a warning after a media investigation found unlicensed operators accepting Mastercard and Visa. The regulator has told British gamblers to be alert for unlicensed gambling operators accepting mainstream payment options. 

The regulator said it was working with payment providers to tackle illegal offerings after The Observer reported that it found 10 unlicensed online gambling providers accepting UK Mastercard and Visa payments via their websites.

According to The Observer, deposits were not being handled directly by the credit card companies but by payment acquirer PaymentIQ, which belongs to the French fintech Worldline. The report claims that several British players lost thousands of pounds to these operators because they were able to make deposits but were unable to withdraw winnings. 

A spokesperson for the Gambling Commission said: “We are aware of these websites and continue to take action to disrupt the unlicensed market, including working with online platforms and with payment providers.  Anyone gambling on unlicensed sites is supporting illegal activity and putting themselves at risk. Your financial data could be stolen, harvested or misused and you may not even be paid out if you win.

“These sites support crime and won’t have the standards or safeguards we insist on such as providing self-exclusion or looking out for and tackling gambling-related harm. Consumers can easily check if a site is licensed by searching the business register on our website.”

Payment service providers are not legally required to inspect whether a gambling provider that uses their services is licensed. They put the onus on acquirers to undertake due diligence and they have guidelines for acquirers.