The William Hill Group was hit with a record penalty of £19.2 million on 28th March 2023. This is spread out over three of its gambling businesses which failed to meet UKGC regulation over anti-money laundering and social responsibility. This is the largest penalty awarded since Entain was hit with a £17 million fine in 2022. The group was bought out by 888 recently and the new parent company have been quick to point at that these failings took place prior to them taking charge and were all fixed very quickly once the purchase was complete.
Which William Hill Companies Were Hit with Penalties?
The bulk of the cost, £12.5 million, was given to WHG Limited which runs the hugely popular WilliamHill.com. The company that runs MrGreen.com, Mr Green Limited, were also hit with £3.7 million in fines. Finally, a £3 million fine was presented to William Hill Organization Limited which operates 1,344 gambling premises in Britain.
It was a close call for the company, as chief executive of the Gambling Commission, Andrew Rhodes, said that there was ‘serious consideration’ given to completely suspending their license. However, as the company recognised that there had been failings, the Commission instead opted to hit them with a record breaking fine.
Many Firms Falling Foul of Regulations
In recent years, there has been a big crackdown by the UK Gambling Commission on gambling firms that are breaking the law. Since 2022, there have been 26 prosecution cases and gambling operators have been fined more than £76 million. Just last week, the Commission gave a fine of £7.2 million to the Kindred Group plc for two of their operators’ regulatory failures.
What Were the Social Responsibility and Anti-Money Laundering Failures at William Hill?
A large portion of the fines issued to William Hill was done so for social responsibility failures. Some of the most serious issues included:
Failing to protect new customers and not having appropriate checks in place for high amounts of spending in a short period of time
Failing to ask high rolling gamblers for evidence of their income or picking up on the risk of harm. For example, one customer was able to gamble and lose £54,252 in one month without the operator carrying out any serious checks
Failing to carry out checks at the earliest stages of new customers creating their account
Customers were allowed to lose significant sums of money in a short period of time with no sufficient controls in place
Not enforcing the 24-hour delay on requests and approvals to increase the credit limit
Not enforcing bans on players who had self-excluded from its other gambling sites
Failure to request Source of Funds
Failure to conduct appropriate checks on customers who had deposited very large sums of money
Alongside the fine, the William Hill Group will also have extra licence conditions enforced. The fine will be used for socially responsible purposes.
Top Bingo Offers:
Advertiser Disclosure: When you use WhichBingo, there are never any hidden fees or costs. To help fund our work we may earn a referral commission if you create an account via our site. This commission never impacts the impartiality of our reviews and ratings.
18+ New Customers. Opt in. Deposit & play £10 on any Bingo Room. Get £50 Bingo Bonus, x4 wagering, max redeemable £200. Rewards expire after 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly.
1st deposit only. Stake £10 on bingo for £40 bingo bonus (£30 online & 2 x £5 Club vouchers). 4x wagering requirements on online bingo bonus. Full T&Cs apply.
New players only. 18+. UK only. Min deposit £10 and £10 stake on slot games required. 40 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza credited automatically. Free Spins value: £0.10 each. Free Spins expire 48 hours after crediting. No wagering on Free Spins; winnings paid as cash. Eligibility restrictions apply. Full T&C’s apply. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org.
New players only. 18+. UK only. Min deposit £10 and use code “BINGO”. £10 stake on Bingo games required within 7 days of deposit. £40 Bingo Bonus credited automatically upon qualifying play. Bingo Bonus subject to 4x wagering requirement. Eligibility restrictions apply. Full T&C’s apply. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org.
18+ New players only. Min deposit £10 and £10 stake on slot games required. 100 Free Spins on Big Bass Splash. Free Spins value: £0.10 each. No wagering on Free Spins; winnings paid as cash. Bingo tickets: Min deposit £10 and £10 real-money spend on Bingo required. Max ticket value £0.10. No wagering on ticket winnings; paid as cash. Tickets and free spins expire after 48 hours. Full T&C’s apply.
New players. Dep (exc. PayPal & Paysafe) & spend min £10 on a selected slot for spins or in Main Event Bingo for bonus. Wagering & max wins apply. Individual promo T&Cs Apply. Full T&Cs Apply.
New players. Dep (exc. PayPal & Paysafe) & spend min £10 on a selected slot for spins or in Main Event Bingo for bonus. Wagering & max wins apply. Individual promo T&C’s apply. Full T&Cs Apply. Full T&Cs Apply.
First deposit only. Min deposit £10. Bingo tickets valid up to £0.02 in the Feel the Fun room. 80 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza. Spin Value: £0.10. Excl. new players in N.I. This offer is only available for specific players that have been selected by PlayOJO. If you have arrived on this page not via the designated offer via PlayOJO you will not be eligible for the offer. Irregular play may lead to removal of reward. OJO’s Rewards and Game Play policy applies. Gambleaware.org #AD
New players only. Deposit (excluding PayPal & Paysafe) and spend £5 in selected bingo rooms to qualify. Wagering requirements, maximum win limits and promotional restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs Apply.
Twenty-plus series in to I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and the Bushtucker Trial has become classic British television, though it is hard to watch if your dinner time falls between 9pm and 10.30pm. tombola, home to some of the most unique online bingo and arcade games ever (and sponsor of I’m a Celeb for eight years), asked us to count down the five most memorable trials in…
The owner of Buzz Bingo is looking for new investors, and the chain’s boss is warning that a Budget tax rise could hit bingo halls hard. If you’re a Buzz regular, here’s what’s going on and what it means for your next session. If Buzz Bingo is your local, first things first: nothing changes for you today. The halls are open, the callers are calling, so there’s no need to…
For 26 years, WhichBingo has helped players discover, compare, and share their opinions on bingo, slots, and casino sites. What began as a directory of UK bingo sites in 2000, has grown into a hub featuring hundreds of brand reviews, a record-breaking annual awards event, original entertainment and coverage of land-based bingo halls and events, and a community that continues to shape what we do. Much has changed during that…
A Greater Manchester holidaymaker has won a £250,000 National Bingo Game jackpot at Regal Bingo Bridlington. That’s quite the cherry on top of a holiday, eh? 67 year old Stephen Clarke was staying with his wife Dawn at Hawthorne Holiday Park when the couple decided to head out for a spot of bingo on Monday 24th August. A bingo player for over 20 years, Stephen matched every number on the…
As the chancellor is reported to be considering a higher taxes on slot machines, WhichBingo warns that players are still at risk from illegal gambling sites, as operators warn of closures. Speculation around John Healey’s first budget on October 28 has focused on potential increases in Machine Games Duty, which applies to slot machines, electronic roulette and fruit machines. The proposed increases are intended to reduce gambling harm, but WhichBingo…
For 26 years, WhichBingo has helped players discover, compare, and share their opinions on bingo, slots, and casino sites. What began as a directory of UK bingo sites in 2000, has grown into a hub featuring hundreds of brand reviews, a record-breaking annual awards event, original entertainment and coverage of land-based bingo halls and events, and a community that continues to shape what we do. Much has changed during that…
When it comes to playing at casino sites in the UK, we are a nation that aims to make the small wins count Our 2026 Bingo & Casino Player Survey asked 1,915 people how much they try to build up before cashing out. We also asked how much they typically wager per month – and the answer to both questions was smaller than you might guess. The typical amount people…
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to ‘crack down’ on betting shops to clean up Britain’s high streets. Burnham associated betting shops with ‘dodgy businesses’ and vape shops as contributing to a decline in the high street. Burnham’s announcement comes about four months after Remote Gaming Duty on online gaming almost doubled, rising from 21% to 40% in April 2026. The Betting and Gaming Council says the increase has affected…
As the chancellor is reported to be considering a higher taxes on slot machines, WhichBingo warns that players are still at risk from illegal gambling sites, as operators warn of closures. Speculation around John Healey’s first budget on October 28 has focused on potential increases in Machine Games Duty, which applies to slot machines, electronic roulette and fruit machines. The proposed increases are intended to reduce gambling harm, but WhichBingo…
If you’ve signed up to a UK slot site recently (or are planning to), you’ve probably noticed a few similar games being mentioned. So, we did the numbers and found the top 5 slot games in UK casino bonuses so far in 2026. If you sign up for free spins, there is a good chance you’ll be playing one of these games, so here’s a bit of a preview of…
The rules of the game are evolving, and the UK’s biggest bingo and casino brands are responding by putting players first. We spoke to the WhichBingo Awards winners to get their thoughts on success, what makes them stand out, and what UK players can expect next. Foxy, Coral, Ladbrokes: Giving Back to the Player Entain, the company who run Ladbrokes, Coral – and Best Promotions winner Foxy Games emphasised their commitment to…
Nearly half a million votes were cast by real players in WhichBingo Awards 2026 – and with so many votes cast its crazy how close it was. One category was decided by just 18 votes. We’ve gone behind the numbers to reveal the other interesting statistics and stories that went into voting. The Race Decided By Just 18 Votes Thousands of votes were cast but Best Promotions was decided by…
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to ‘crack down’ on betting shops to clean up Britain’s high streets. Burnham associated betting shops with ‘dodgy businesses’ and vape shops as contributing to a decline in the high street. Burnham’s announcement comes about four months after Remote Gaming Duty on online gaming almost doubled, rising from 21% to 40% in April 2026. The Betting and Gaming Council says the increase has affected…
If you have ever slid past a long screen of terms and conditions without understanding much of it – you are not alone. According to our 2026 Player Survey of 1,915 UK players, only 22% of people say terms are easy to understand. But fear not, we’re going to break down the 5 key things to look for. The 78% of Players Our 2026 Player Survey asked 1,915 UK players…
If you asked a room full of people why they have a flutter, you might expect a mix of answers. But according to a recent survey of 20,000 UK players, there is one main reason – and it’s probably not surprising. Top of the list was the chance of winning big money, cited by a hefty 84% of people who gamble. The survey, run by the UK Gambling Commission, also…
Brits are turning to VPNs in huge numbers to access illegal gambling sites, racking up an estimated 150-200 million minutes on dodgy casinos in January 2026 alone. And seriously risking their money in the process. VPN usage in the UK has surged since the Online Safety Act came into force in July 2025, and Gambling Commission research recorded around 20 million visits to illegal gambling sites that month. Often marketed…
Welcome to week four of my column for WhichBingo. Fourteen couples left, another elimination done, and plenty to get into on the scoring, the pairings, and a bit of news from me and Brendan too. A little more from WhichBingoAlongside our guides to bingo sites and slot sites, we bring you exclusive interviews and a chance to join the conversation. My Scores from Week Three Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola,…
Welcome to my weekly column for WhichBingo. Movie week has been and gone, Chris and Amy are out, and I’ve got plenty to say about both the dancing and the direction the show is heading in. A little more from WhichBingoAlongside our guides to bingo sites and slot sites, we bring you exclusive interviews and a chance to join the conversation. My Thoughts on the Show So Far Movie week…
Welcome to week three of my column for WhichBingo, where I’ll be giving you my honest verdict on week one of the live shows, my thoughts on how the new series is shaping up, and my predictions for who’s in trouble this week. A little more from WhichBingoAlongside our guides to bingo sites and slot sites, we bring you exclusive interviews and a chance to join the conversation. James Jordan’s…
In the second of our exclusive WhichBingo series, Strictly legend James Jordan is back with his verdict on this year’s launch show, and predictions for the first live show. Once the the show gets underway, James will be dishing out his own scores on the doors, week by week as well as predicting which couple will be eliminated. Play along in the comments section, to join in on the fun!…
by
James Jordan
7min
Updated October 16, 2024
Jennifer McFadyen
Slots & Bingo Writer
Jennifer McFadyen is a slot specialist and iGaming journalist with years of experience analysing online slots and industry trends. She provides detailed, transparent insights into RTP, volatility, bonus features, and game design, helping players navigate the latest releases.
Beyond slot reviews, Jennifer covers iGaming news, casino platform evaluations, and industry developments, offering expert analysis on new game launches and responsible gambling updates.
4min 
Reader comments