AFC Bournemouth sponsor exits UK on Gambling Commission fine
TGP Europe Surrenders UK White Label License, Causing Uncertainty in Football Sponsorships
TGP Europe, a prominent operator in the white label gambling sector, has voluntarily surrendered its license issued by the UK Gambling Commission. This decision follows a substantial £3.3 million penalty prompted by an investigation into TGP’s operations and several of its football sponsorship agreements.
The operator’s sponsorship footprint includes notable clubs such as AFC Bournemouth, Fulham, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Burnley. For instance, TGP’s bj-88.co.uk brand had secured a deal to be AFC Bournemouth’s front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Premier League seasons, signed last July.
The Gambling Commission has informed these clubs of the potential repercussions, indicating that they may inadvertently promote unlicensed gambling platforms, which exposes them to potential penalties as well. The Commission emphasized the need for clubs to conduct due diligence on their white label partners to ensure that consumers in Great Britain do not engage with illegal sites.
TGP operated an extensive network of 29 websites in the UK, including Duelbits.co.uk, Betvision.com, Leyubet.co.uk, Fun88.co.uk, and Oubao.co.uk.
According to the Gambling Commission, TGP failed to conduct necessary vetting of its business partners and did not adhere to anti-money laundering regulations. Consequently, the regulator imposed the £3.3 million fine and recommended that TGP implement significant operational improvements to continue its presence in the UK market.
Ultimately, TGP opted to relinquish its license entirely, thereby exiting the legal framework necessary for gambling operations in the UK.
Investigation Findings by the Gambling Commission
The Gambling Commission’s investigation revealed significant deficiencies in TGP’s due diligence processes concerning the ownership structures of third-party entities. Furthermore, the operator did not sufficiently evaluate the source of funds for transaction-related activities.
Issues concerning money laundering risks were not adequately addressed, and the Commission noted that TGP “sufficiently considered” whether the actions of its third-party partners were lawful.
“With TGP’s withdrawal, multiple online gambling platforms are no longer authorized to provide gambling services to consumers in Great Britain,” stated John Pierce, Head of Enforcement at the Gambling Commission. “These sites, which previously operated under TGP’s authorization, may lack adequate safeguards against criminal activity or gambling-related risks and must be disabled immediately for GB consumers.”
The Commission urged the public to consult the official business register to confirm which gambling sites are legally compliant, advising against engaging with any TGP-operated websites that might no longer offer consumer protections.
This is not the first instance of regulatory actions against TGP; in 2023, the company faced a fine of £316,250 due to breaches related to anti-money laundering protocols and social responsibility guidelines.
The recent penalty and license forfeiture spotlight ongoing scrutiny surrounding white label sponsorships in English football. This model, which permits non-UK licensed operators to arrange sponsorships through a UK licensed intermediary, has drawn increasing attention from both the UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Gambling Commission.
Challenges facing this model have intensified in recent years. Notably, gambling minister Baroness Twycross highlighted the investigations during a discussion at a GambleAware conference last December, soon after revelations regarding BC Game—a Curaçao-licensed operator—operating illegally and subsequently declaring bankruptcy due to unpaid player winnings. BC Game cited an “increasingly hostile” market environment in Curaçao, leading to its decision to relinquish its license.
In addressing white label reforms, Twycross conveyed, “Investigations are ongoing, and if further action is deemed necessary, we will take decisive steps.”
