The British arm of the US casino giant, Caesars Entertainment, has been slapped with a hefty fine by the UK Gambling Commission. This was the biggest fine ever issued by the gambling authority, which charged Caesars for failing to prevent addicted gamblers from playing at its casinos and losing millions.
The UKGC issued a statement this week, saying that, following a probe into the matter covering the years 2016 – 2018, it found that Caesars had knowingly allowed addicted gamblers to not only play, but also lose much more than they clearly had.
In one case, a player wagered close to £3.5 million in a three month period. During that same time span, he lost £1.6 million. The same player would visit the casino and withdraw cash from the ATM using his company card.
The chief executive of the UKGC, Neil McArthur, said in a statement: “The failings in this case are extremely serious. A culture of putting customer safety at the heart of business decisions should be set from the very top of every company and Caesars failed to do this.”
Three managers at Caesars Entertainment properties in the UK have since left the company and have handed in their gambling operator’s licenses.
The gambling group has seven casino facilities across the UK, including the Empire Casino and the Playboy Casino in London.
This is not the first time that Caesars has been fined by the regulator. In 2015, it was found that the group had failed to perform anti-money laundering checks and was subsequently slapped with a £845,000 fine.
Not everyone is convinced that the latest £13 million fine is enough to deter Caesars.
The director of the Safer Online Gambling Group, Adam Bradford said: “This section of the industry has repeatedly expressed its pride at its safety measures and well-trained staff. This is a clear case of exploitation. A small fine like this against the group’s multibillion-pound turnover really is a drop in the ocean and utterly ineffective from the commission.”
Caesars operates some of the most popular casinos in the US, including Harrah’s Las Vegas, Caesars Palace Las Vegas and Harrah’s Resort in Southern California.
