Everton warned as Stake lose UK license following UKGC investigation

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Stake, an online iGaming operator, will shut down its UK services in March. An official UKGC statement, issued on 12 February, warns users that the current Everton sponsor will no longer be a licensed product from next month. 

In light of this news, TGP Europe Limited (TGP) — the entity that oversees Stake’s UK operations on a white-label contract as well as 19 other websites — has announced that it is shuttering Stake.uk.com. 

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Stake’s exit from the UK market follows an announcement of a UKGC-led investigation into the firm due to a highly-circulated “video displaying the Stake-branded logo, which was distributed on a social media platform and featured an adult actress outside Nottingham Trent University.”

This is not the first time that TGP has been involved in controversy while operating in the UK. Previously, the group was fined £316,250 for anti-money laundering and social responsibility failures. Subsequently, TGP was issued a warning, and its UK license was amended to include additional stipulations.

A recent meeting between the UKGC and TGP has resulted in the operator ceasing business in the UK. Beginning 12 February 2025, Stake.uk.com will no longer onboard new users and omit all redirection links from primary website, Stake.com, to its UK leg. A full platform shutdown shall ensue on 11 March 2025.

Such a settlement presents an unprecedented challenge for Premier League outfit, Everton, as the Merseyside club currently displays Stake as its main front-of-shit sponsor. According to a release published on 12 February, the UKGC will write to and warn the top-flight team of the risks tied to collaborating with unlicensed gambling operators. Additionally, two other unnamed football clubs will also receive warnings regarding working with unlawful platforms. 

The UKGC outlined that it will “seek assurance from the clubs that they have carried out due diligence on their white label partners and that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed sites.”

Moreover, the UKGC will submit to clubs a request to demonstrate that active geo-blocking facilities can prevent potential users from accessing unlicensed websites. Crucially, users must not be allowed to “transact with the sites from Great Britain by any means.” Independent confirmation of these measures shall be undertaken by the UKGC in due course. 

Club officers have been notified that they could face prosecution in the event that unlawful gambling organisations targeting UK consumers are advertised. Sentences for proven convictions include fines, imprisonment or both. 

The final paragraph of the UKGC statement on the closure of Stake UK cautions operators that leave the country to retreat in a disciplined manner, with precise information on customers’ finances available: “When an operator leaves the British gambling market we expect an orderly closure of its website to consumers in Great Britain and this includes providing consumers with clear information on how to obtain their funds.”

Stake is a subsidiary of cryptocurrency-focused iGaming platform, Easygo. Its UK label went live in 2021 via a white-label deal with TGP – though customers were restricted from processing cryptocurrency payments in order for the company to align with UKGC guidelines. For TGP, Stake.uk.com provided extensive high-profile coverage of its brand through a key sponsorship deal with Everton.