A UK investigation sparks a flight from the country's betting houses.

A network of 15 sports betting web platforms have ceased operations in the country following an investigation by the British gambling regulator into their licensing partner, TGP Europe. The conflict stemmed from a £3.3 million (€3.92 million) fine imposed by the Gambling Commission for lack of control over its partners and violations of anti-money laundering regulations, which led to the company having its license revoked. In total, the 15 companies associated with TGP Europe that closed their websites this week are 12bet , 96uk , bj88 , DEBET , DuelBits , Fun88 , Nova88Bet , Sportsbet.io , SBOTOP , Ticbet and UK-WL .

TGP's white label business model, which involved operating a gambling business using other companies' brands, had previously been the subject of other sanctions from the regulator. In 2023, the operator was fined £316,250 (€375,319) for breaches including failing to adequately consider and mitigate the anti-money laundering risks posed by business-to-business (B2B) relationships and having ineffective policies and procedures regarding due diligence prior to white label deals.

It turns out that six of those labels had active sponsorships with various Premier League clubs, the top competition in English football. The affected Premier League sponsorships include Newcastle United (Sportsbet.io) , Fulham (SBOTOP) , Leicester City (BCGame) , AFC Bournemouth (bj88) , and Wolverhampton Wanderers (DEBET) . Additionally, Championship club Hull City and soon-to-be Premier League side Burnley are also affected due to their respective deals with Sportsbet.io and 96.com.

The commission stated that it contacted the aforementioned sports entities to inform them that they were promoting unlicensed websites under pressure that club officials could face prison sentences if they advertised such businesses , according to the statement. "This case involves a gambling company that was unwilling or unable to meet the regulatory standards we expect of our licensees," John Pierce, head of enforcement for the Gambling Commission, explained in the statement.

According to Bloomberg , betting operators are under increasing regulatory pressure in the UK, as England's National Health Service says it faces an "uphill battle" with gambling addiction . Earlier this year, Everton sponsor Stake, also licensed through TGP Europe, left the country following a regulatory investigation into its advertising practices. The move comes as the Premier League plans to ban shirt-front sponsorship deals with betting companies in the 2026-27 season, although it will retain sleeve sponsorships.

Downing Street's 'fight' against gambling addiction

The British government has, in fact, announced anti-gambling measures that are in line with the commitments made in his election manifesto by Keir Starmer, Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party. His administration stated that it was willing to work with the industry to ensure responsible gambling in its territory.

Thus, he has given the green light to a tax reform that introduces a new 1% tax on gross revenue from online gambling. With this measure, Downing Street seeks to fund public health programs to treat gambling addiction and other gambling-related problems. This is also another of the specific avenues outlined in the current Budget to, according to his government, "rebuild" the country and address the current economic crisis.