SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
SBC continues to monitor changing circumstances for TGP Europe, a white label gambling operator, which has officially exited the UK market.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has confirmed that an investigation into TGP Europe culminated in the firm being issued a £3.3m penalty for due diligence and AML failures.
SBC News and iGaming Expert noticed yesterday that the all 15 domain names operated by TGP Europe had ceased accepting both new and existing customers, 13 of which did so on 8 May.
A key aspect of TGP Europe’s business model in recent years has been operating UK domain names for Asia-focused betting firms, some of which such as DEBET entered into commercial deals with Premier League football clubs.
Though TGP Europe is headquartered in Douglas on the Isle of Man, the island’s Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) states that the firm has not held a licence there for five years. It has instead operated its white label partnerships under a UKGC licence.
“The GSC cannot comment on decisions made by ex licensees,” the GSC responded to SBC’s queries when asked about the TGP Europe domain name closures.
“TGP are no longer licensed with the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission and surrendered their licence on 15 May 2020.”
A troubled history
Exactly five years after TGP Europe surrendered its IOM licence, it has now done the same with its UKGC one. The Commission’s statement revealed that its investigation found that TGP had “failed to carry out sufficient checks on business partners and breaching anti-money laundering rules”.
This includes failing to carry out due diligence checks, consider money laundering risks, consider that any activity by third parties may have been illegal, and failing to implement due diligence measures outlined in its own AML policies. This suggests that some of the firms it has held white label partnerships with may have been implicated in criminal activity.
TGP Europe has found itself embroiled in regulatory investigations and controversies in the past. Back in 2023 it was issued a £330,000 penalty and had additional licence conditions imposed by the UKGC, similarly due to AMl infractions.
The firm has also been subject to media attention due to its alleged links to Alvin Chau, a Chinese businessman sentenced to 18 years in prison in Macau, China, in 2023 on illegal gambling and racketeering charges.
John Pierce, Commission Head of Enforcement, said: “This case involves a gambling company that was unwilling or unable to meet the regulatory standards we expect from our licensees. It is right that they have now exited the British market.
“Following TGP’s exit, several online gambling operators can no longer lawfully offer gambling facilities to consumers located in Great Britain. These sites, previously operating under TGP’s licence, may not provide adequate protection against criminal activity or gambling-related harm and should not be available to GB consumers with immediate effect.”
Focus on football
The various companies TGP Europe operated domains for held a significant sponsorship presence with Premier League football clubs. Wolverhampton Wanderers FC are partnered with DEBET, Fulham FC with SBOTOP, Newcastle United with Sportsbetio.uk and AFC Bournemouth with bj88.
In the case of Fulham FC partner, SBOTOP, the latter’s owner, Celton Manx, also surrendered its Isle of Man licence several days before today’s UKGC announcement.
The links between TGP Europe domain names and top-flight football clubs have caught headlines in the past. Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace were both warned about their partnerships with former TGP brand Kaiyun Sports when the latter’s white label deal expired, for example.
Meanwhile, Stake.com, which operated its UK domain via TGP Europe, is a partner of Everton FC. Speculation arose about the future of the partnership after Stake withdrew from the UK following controversy around its marketing involving an adult content creator, Bonnie Blue, promoting the brand at Nottingham Trent University.
Following TGP’s full UK exit, the Commission stated that it has contacted Bournemouth, Fulham, Newcastle and Wolves, as well as 2024/25 Championship runners up and 96.com partner Burnley FC, warning about what the regulator calls ‘the risks of promoting unlicensed gambling websites’.
Pierce: “We have already been in contact with several football clubs today to highlight the impact of the withdrawal from the market by TGP and make clear that we will be carrying out checks-without further notice-to ensure these sites remain blocked.
“We will also conduct ongoing spot checks as necessary to ensure they are not accessible to consumers in Great Britain by any means. Should any of these sites be available to GB consumers, we will take appropriate action.
“It is essential that football clubs play their part in protecting fans and GB consumers who may be exposed to advertising of these sites through their sponsorship arrangements from harm or exploitation. All licensed operators with similar arrangements to TGP should take notice of the action taken in this case.”
As some of the football partnerships in question were set to continue until the 2026/27, the season front-of-shirt sponsor ban comes into effect for gambling brands, this development could leave some clubs in a tricky commercial position.
TGP’s abrupt exit will have far reaching implications, such as casting the relationship between betting and football once more into disrepute, as licensed bookmakers adhere to the rules of a new code of conduct on gambling sponsorships, currently in effect across all major sports.
Furthermore, the scandal will elevate concerns of Local MPs who have written to the Labour government demanding that the recommendations and agreements of the Gambling Review’s White Paper be revisited. A direct ban on Football sponsorships is deemed an essential reform, as the White Paper has failed to protect local communities from the societal harms of gambling,.
