Will Prochaska, director of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads, which first complained to the Gambling Commission about the advert, said: “Forcing Stake out of the UK market is important, but will do little to change a system that enables predatory gambling marketing, sometimes by firms that haven’t even applied for their own gambling licence.
The Gambling Commission began an investigation in response to the appearance on the social media platform X of a video featuring the adult star Bonnie Blue, featuring Stake’s branding.
Stake.com, the online casino that sponsors Everton Football Club, is to give up its licence to operate in Great Britain, amid a regulatory review of the company’s practices, including a promotion fronted by a porn actor.
The commission said the letter would warn that “club officers may be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promoted unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain”.
At the time, the company said it had rigorous anti money laundering and safer gambling processes in place, and that it had shut down customers trying to gamble with cryptocurrency in the UK and bypassing controls by using “virtual private networks” (VPNs).
