Gambling firm based in Alderney misled with ads

It was the first time the UK Gambling Commission had levied a financial penalty for advertising failings.

BGO Entertainment was fined for nine misleading advertisements on its website between July 2015 and July 2016, as well as 14 on affiliates' websites between February and October last year.

The company's advertisements did not suitably outline what conditions there were around its promotions and so the commission deemed the adverts as 'potentially misleading to consumers'.

Alderney Gambling Control Commission's executive director Jorn Starck explained BGO Entertainment held operating licences for e-gambling both from the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) and from the Gambling Commission of Great Britain (UKGC).

'Since November 2014, the UKGC has asserted regulatory authority for customers in the United Kingdom and based on our current information only UK customers were affected by the BGO marketing activities referred to in the recent media reports.

'The AGCC is pleased that we continue to enjoy a close relationship with the UKGC. We agree with the authority of the UKGC to take any regulatory action it deems necessary under its own legislation and we will continue to follow our own standard regulatory processes under the Alderney e-gambling legislation to ensure that BGO remains compliant with all its requirement in our jurisdiction.'

Since May 2015, the UK commission's licence conditions and codes of practice have required all licensed gambling operators to avoid misleading consumers about promotions.