UK Gambling Commission Targets Illegal Betting Operations
A 39-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent has been arrested for operating an unlicensed gambling service, following an investigation by the UK Gambling Commission.
Arrest and Charges
Staffordshire police arrested Haydon Simcock in September 2024 after the Gambling Commission uncovered evidence of illegal gambling activity. Simcock has been charged with providing unauthorized betting services to UK customers between October 2023 and September 2024. He also faces charges related to advertising betting promotions from May 2023 to March 2024.
The case is scheduled for a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on March 24.
Unlicensed Betting Through WhatsApp
In February 2024, the Racing Post conducted an undercover interview with a man identified as Simcock, who described himself as the commercial manager for an illicit horse racing bookmaker, “The Post Bookmakers.” The operator allegedly handled customer wagers via WhatsApp, bypassing the UK’s strict gambling regulations.
During the interview, Simcock stated that the firm had approximately 10 employees and 1,300 active customers. Many of those bettors, he claimed, turned to unlicensed operators after facing affordability checks and account restrictions at regulated betting sites.
Regulator’s Response to Illegal Gambling
The UK Gambling Commission has ramped up enforcement against unlicensed gambling, emphasizing that such operations provide no consumer protection. CEO Andrew Rhodes has warned that illegal operators pose significant risks, noting in a previous statement that the Commission remains “vigilant and active in disrupting this market.”
As part of its efforts, the regulator has issued over 770 cease-and-desist and disruption notices in the current financial year, including 262 orders directed at illegal gambling operators and 205 to advertisers promoting unlicensed services.
Investigating the Black Market
The Gambling Commission is also preparing a comprehensive report on black market gambling activity in the UK. Expected to be published in the summer, the report will analyze web traffic data from unlicensed betting sites and estimate player spending patterns.
The data, gathered from nearly 140,000 gambling accounts across seven licensed operators, aims to provide insights into the scale of illegal gambling in the country.