ProgressPlay fined £1 million by UK Gambling Commission, pledges compliance overhaul

ProgressPlay has been ordered to pay a £1 million regulatory settlement following a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) investigation that identified serious failings in its anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility controls.

The Cyprus-headquartered white-label operator, which manages over 130 gambling websites, was also issued with a formal warning and must undergo a third-party audit to demonstrate the effective implementation of AML and responsible gambling measures.

ProgressPlay operates internationally with offices in London, Cyprus, and St Julian’s, Malta, where it is based at the Punchbowl Centre. The company is also licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).

UKGC: Failings “unacceptable”

The regulator highlighted a number of shortcomings, including ProgressPlay’s failure to conduct appropriate risk assessments for money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as insufficient scrutiny of customer transactions and sources of funds.

On the social responsibility front, ProgressPlay was found to lack adequate systems to monitor customer activity at account opening, undermining the early identification of gambling-related harm. The Gambling Commission also flagged weaknesses in the operator’s customer interaction policy, which did not meet licence requirements.

“Failure to meet AML obligations, along with the gaps identified in its social responsibility processes, are unacceptable,” said John Pierce, Director of Enforcement and Intelligence at the Commission.
He warned that operators should be in “no doubt” that repeated breaches will trigger “increasingly severe enforcement action.”

This marks the second time ProgressPlay has faced enforcement action, having previously been penalised in 2022 for similar failings.

ProgressPlay: “An opportunity to raise the bar”

In response, ProgressPlay positioned the ruling as the conclusion of a “comprehensive review process” that began in 2023. The company said it has since invested £1.5 million in player protection technology and AML handling, alongside organisational changes.

“Our philosophy has always been that regulatory challenges present opportunities to raise the bar,” said CEO Itai Lowenstein. “Rather than simply remediating past findings, we’ve fundamentally changed how we understand and serve our customers.”

ProgressPlay highlighted the creation of a dedicated Responsible Gambling and AML Team, supported by independent monitoring, and mandatory staff training through its in-house digital academy.

The company said it welcomed the upcoming independent audit as further validation of its “transformed operations.”

With this settlement, ProgressPlay stressed that it now views itself as a “responsible gambling innovator,” pledging to maintain a proactive approach to compliance.

However, the case serves as a reminder that the Gambling Commission continues to apply strict oversight across the sector, with repeated failures attracting heavier penalties and reputational damage.