UK Gambling Commission Slaps Dobrolearni with £7 Million Penalty for Player Safety Failures

Stride Gaming subsidiary, Dobrolearni, received a significant penalty of £7 million (roughly $9 million) from the UK Gambling Commission. Their transgression? Inadequate safeguarding of their clientele, particularly those susceptible to gambling-related harm, and insufficient measures to combat money laundering.

Beyond the financial penalty, the Gambling Commission imposed stricter stipulations on Dobrolearni’s UK gambling license. This action follows a comprehensive inquiry initiated in January 2023, culminating in a hearing before the Commission’s Regulatory Panel in April.

The investigation revealed multiple areas where Dobrolearni failed to meet the Commission’s licensing obligations, especially concerning their duty to prevent money laundering and encourage responsible gaming. They were deemed to have inadequate protections against money laundering and lacked robust protocols to safeguard their players.

Richard Watson, Executive Director at the Gambling Commission, underscored the severity of these shortcomings, noting that this action forms part of their continuous scrutiny of the online casino sector. He emphasized that operators are obligated to uphold high standards of customer protection and that this sanction reflects the gravity of the violations.