The UK Gambling Commission has announced the suspension of the operating license of gambling provider Spribe Oü due to the company's failure to comply with the regulatory body's hosting requirements, constituting "serious" violations. The regulatory body took action under Section 33 of the Gambling Act of 2005, requiring Spribe to immediately cease all hosting operations and not to resume operations until the appropriate license is obtained. Spribe acknowledges that the issue originated from negligence in the 2020 license application and is currently actively preparing to apply for a remote casino game hosting license, expecting to resume delivery of the popular product "Aviator" to the UK market next month. This suspension does not affect player account access and fund withdrawal.
Details of Violations and Regulatory Actions
The UK Gambling Commission has identified "serious" violations by Spribe Oü, mainly involving non-compliance with hosting requirements. According to Section 33 of the Gambling Act of 2005, providing gambling facilities in the UK without a license is a criminal offense, and violators may face a level 5 fine or imprisonment for up to 51 weeks. The Commission has therefore suspended its software license, requiring an immediate cessation of all hosting operations and initiating a review of the developer's license and activities. Game hosting refers to the provider placing the game on its own servers, which players access through the operator's platform, as opposed to direct hosting on the operator's servers.
Spribe's Response and Remedial Measures
Spribe acknowledges that the problem originated from negligence during the 2020 license application process, where it only obtained a remote gambling software license and was unaware that its business model also required a remote casino game host license. The company states that it takes this matter seriously and is accelerating the preparation of a supplementary application to ensure compliance with all technical and regulatory requirements, and commits to adhering to regulations, maintaining transparency, and upholding software integrity standards. Spribe expects to resume delivery of the "Aviator" product to the UK market next month and emphasizes that the suspension does not affect player account access and fund withdrawal functions.
Industry Impact and Regulatory Expectations
Since its launch in 2019, Spribe's product "Aviator" has been extremely popular worldwide, with over 42 million players per month and 5000 casinos betting 350,000 times per minute. Following the license suspension, some operators like Paddy Power have been unable to access the product. The Gambling Commission emphasizes the expectation for licensed institutions to adhere to the highest compliance and integrity standards, requiring timely notification to affected parties and ensuring that all operational activities are suspended according to license conditions until further notice. Spribe obtained a gambling software license in the UK in December 2020, and this incident highlights the regulatory body's tough stance on unlicensed gambling activities.
