A recent MyStake advertisement published on GlobeNewswire has sparked alarm within the UK gambling industry. The ad was picked up by SBC News through a standard email newsletter subscription. But it could have also reached self-excluded UK residents and those suffering from gambling harm.

The incident reignited concerns about exposing vulnerable consumers to unlicensed gambling content, particularly from offshore operators. For instance, MyStake is not licensed by the UKGC or listed on its official register of approved gaming firms.

Under UKGC regulations, licensed operators must protect players with session time limits, betting caps, and critical support tools. These include direct links to the National Gambling Helpline and integration with self-exclusion programs like GAMSTOP. Without these tools, vulnerable individuals face increased risk. 

UKGC Responds to “Shameless” Promotion

A spokesperson from UKGC criticized the bold marketing from unlicensed platforms. “We are aware of the shameless advertising of unlicensed gambling that is clearly targeting vulnerable people. We do, and will continue to, take action to disrupt the unlicensed market – working with technology platforms such as search engines, other enforcement agencies such as HMRC, and key facilitators such as payment providers and advertisers,” he stated.

According to the Commission, its enforcement arm has issued over 1,150 cease and desist or disruption notices since April 2023, with 118,000+ URLs referred to search engines like Google and Bing. Also, over 81,000 of the links have already been removed, a tenfold takedowns increase from the previous year.

GAMSTOP Joins the Call for Vigilance

GAMSTOP, the UK’s national self-exclusion service, also commented on the incident. The authority confirmed it is working closely with the UKGC to monitor and report such illegal promotional activity.

“We are in regular contact with the Gambling Commission’s intelligence and enforcement team, and we have seen encouraging progress in the successful removal of sites and promotion of these sites, following cease and desist requests by the regulator,” a representative said.

However, they highlighted that more measures must be taken to prevent these ads from appearing at all. GAMSTOP expressed support for the proposed Crime and Policing Bill, which would empower the UKGC to take down IP addresses and domain names linked to illegal gambling sites.

In addition to enforcement efforts, GAMSTOP urges consumers to protect themselves proactively. This includes using blocking software and financial tools like bank gambling blocks.

A Call for Platform Accountability

While the UKGC and GAMSTOP collaborate to limit illicit gambling operations, the appearance of offshore ads on legitimate platforms like GlobeNewswire highlights a significant regulatory gap. 

The UK industry faces a critical question of how regulatory bodies and technology platforms can work together to shield vulnerable individuals from harmful content before it does damage.