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The Football Pools Admits Failures in AML and Social Responsibility Controls

Anti Money Laundering

Business Honor
03 April, 2025

The Football Pools agrees to pay £375,000 after failing to meet anti-money laundering and social responsibility standards.

The Football Pools, headquartered in Liverpool, has signed a deal to pay £375,000 after an investigation by the Gambling Commission found severe failings in its anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility provisions. The investigation, which was aimed at the online business of the company from September 2022 to August 2023, found that the Football Pools had breached several significant regulatory conditions required for gambling license companies.

After a report presented by the Gambling Commission, The Football Pools did not comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing rules. Specifically, the firm had improper measures and policies in place to prevent terrorist financing and money laundering and make its controls accessible and properly inspected. These failures permitted high-risk customers to bet continuously without going through proper enhanced due diligence screening, which is a critical factor to prevent illicit finance.

Further, the research found that The Football Pools did not apply timely intervention with customers who were displaying potential gambling-related harm, such as excessive spending or extended length of gambling. This failure in active monitoring and customer engagement presented issues regarding the social responsibility practice of the company.

In reaction to the investigation, The Football Pools embarked on an action plan to correct these shortcomings and has made improvements to its AML and social responsibility processes. The business has cooperated with the Gambling Commission's investigation in full and has taken steps to correct its shortcomings.

The £375,000 payout will be utilized for socially responsible activities, further emphasizing the importance of ethical operations in the gambling industry. The Gambling Commission also stated that there would be further action if The Football Pools fails to maintain the newly upgraded standards.

This case highlights the ongoing need for gambling companies to have good anti-money laundering measures and to act responsibly in terms of identifying and managing potential threats to gambling-linked harm.