UKGC

The UK Gambling Commission has detailed action taken against personal management licence holders at Caesars Entertainment, after finding a series of “systematic failings” that saw the firm issued a £13m regulatory settlement.

An investigation into PML holders, says the UKGC, was launched due to concerns that they had failed to take all reasonable steps to ensure the way in which they carry out their responsibilities, in relation to licensed activities, does not place the holder of the operating, or any relevant premises, licence in breach of conditions.

Subsequently, seven PML holders received licence warnings, two received advice to conduct letters, and three surrendered their licence following notification that it had been placed under review.

Furthermore, one PML holder surrendered their licence whilst subject to investigation but prior to notification of a review, one who was under investigation was subject to revocation due to non-payment of licence fees, and eighteen received an advice to conduct letter outside of the review process.

It was also added that in a separate incident one Caesars’ PML holder had his licence revoked following an altercation with a guest at his place of work.

Richard Watson, Commission executive director, said of the action undertaken: “All personal licence holders should be aware that they will be held accountable, where appropriate, for the regulatory failings within the operators they manage.”

The regulatory action taken against the company, which was done so in April 2020, saw Caesars tasked with implementing a series of improvements after the regulator documented social responsibility, money laundering and customer interaction failures, including those involving ‘VIPs’.

At the time the regulator said that all £13m from the case, which saw three senior managers at the company surrender their personal licences as a result of the investigation, would be directed towards delivering the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms.