Gaming news site USA-Casino.com reports that regulatory fines on casinos in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Sweden and the Netherlands topped $264 million in 2021, a 443.9 percent jump over 2021.
According to the analysis, financial penalties were issued to companies on 38 occasions in 2022 totaling approximately $264,578,390. Companies having to pony up the fines included Star Entertainment Group as well as iGaming brands Betr, Betway, DraftKings, BetMGM, Unibet, LeoVegas, 888 and PointsBet.
According to the report, offenses drawing the fines included the following:
- Accepting wagers before licensed to do so
- Contacting & offering promotions to self-excluding gamblers
- Marketing to young adults
- Spamming
- Breaking advertising rules/inducement infractions
- Anti-money-laundering failings
- Social responsibility failing
- Accepting prohibited wagers
- Offering bonuses in breach of local gaming laws
- Failure to prevent overspending and placing limits on accounts
- Failing in identifying customers at risk of gambling related harm
- Not having appropriate anti-money laundering (AML) measures
The largest fine—AU$100 million—was levied on Star Entertainment Group for license breaches that included allowing money laundering to take place at its Sydney casino, and £17 million on Entain, the largest fine in the history of the U.K. Gaming Commission, also on anti-money laundering irregularities.
