2024 global gambling penalties: Operator fines drop drastically since 2023

Imago

The year 2024 saw a big reduction in the size of financial penalties issued by gambling industry regulators around the world.

A record-breaking total of over £354.2m in fines were issued in 2023, spread across 70 penalties. 

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Yet while the number of penalties rose to 96 in 2024, the total value dipped dramatically to less than half at £148.2m, a fall of 58% compared to the previous year’s £354m. 

It was Spain’s Ministry for Consumer Affairs who were responsible for over a third of the financial penalties in 2024, as they issued fines totalling £55.3m. 

Additionally, 13 of the 15 penalties given out were operating in the local market without a licence. Since 2021, the Spanish authorities have issued a total of £330m in fines to the gambling industry.

Australia were not too far behind with fines totalling £43.2m, most of which came from the £36.9m penalty given to SkyCity Adelaide Pty Ltd from the Federal Court of Australia back in June.

For Australia, the 2024 total was a huge drop from the £248.5m in fines that the Australians handed out in 2023. 

Third in the rankings for the most punitive countries, were the Netherlands and again the majority of their total fines came from a single entity. 

Of the Dutch total of £20.3m, £17m derived from a penalty against Gammix Ltd for illegal gambling practices, which was a record sum. 

Sweden gave out the fourth highest total of fines, with their regulator Spelinspektionen collecting £9m in penalties during 2024. 

Though the US and UK are hotbeds of gambling activity, they ranked relatively low, in fifth and sixth place respectively. 

The US gaming commissions gave out fines totalling £7.3m in 2024, with much of it coming from the US Justice Department’s £5.9m penalty to MGM Resorts for illegal sports betting operations.

Additionally, there was a massive fall in UK fines from the £214.2m figure in 2023 to just £6.6m in 2024.

The UK Gambling Commission issued a £6m punishment to Gamesys Operations Ltd last year, regarding social responsibility and AML failings.

Below is a breakdown of the leading countries for gambling industry fines: