Isle of Man gambling regulator to advance with legislative amendments
The Draft GSC Bill proposes standardised inspection and investigation tools.
UK.- The Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) of the Isle of Man has announced that it will progress with draft legislative amendments under the GSC Bill as proposed in a recent consultation. The bill will be considered by Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man, with a view to enacting the changes in 2026.
The GSC has published a response document following its consultation on the bill, which proposes standardised inspection and investigation tools for the gambling regulator. It said the sentiment of responses received was generally positive. However, it noted that concerns were raised regarding specific ways in which the amendments may be applied, such as the breadth and scope of certain powers.
The regulator has also published new guidance for online gambling licence holders with Network Services Permissions. The new guidance builds on existing anti-money laundering, countering terrorist financing and countering proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) measures.
Published following requests for clarification from gambling operators, the document provides practical directions for businesses that host or facilitate gambling through networked infrastructure. It details regulatory responsibilities under the Isle of Man’s Proceeds of Crime Act 2008, the Anti-Terrorism and Crime Act 2003 and related secondary legislation, providing guidance on the appropriate controls to implement when offering network services such as providing platforms or systems that connect multiple gambling sites or operators.
Network services permissions allow an operator to host games or provide infrastructure for other licensed entities. The new guidance presents risk-based approaches to customer due diligence as well as record-keeping standards, monitoring and reporting obligations for suspicious transactions. It also outlines the regulator’s expectations for third-party relationships.
The Isle of Man’s gambling regulatory framework has faced scrutiny, particularly over white-label operations. In July, the GSC imposed a £3,937,500 civil penalty on Celton Manx, the operator of the SBOTOP sportsbook for multiple anti-money laundering (AML) compliance failures.
Celton Manx had already surrendered its Isle of Man licence back in May. A few days later, it was confirmed that TGP Europe, which ran SBOTOP in Britain under a white-label agreement, had surrendered its British licence after the Gambling Commission said it would have to pay a £3.3m fine, also for AML breaches.
