Isle of Man fines two casino operators over counter-terrorism rules

The gambling commission of Isle of Man has slapped two casino operators with hefty fines after investigations. SK IOM has been hit with a £70,000 fine ($95,169.20) and Celton Manx has been lumped with a £3.94 million fine ($5,357,809).

The staggering fines for Celton Manx come as it was found to be in breach of the island’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing rules. Commission officials began to investigate the company in October 2024, where they found that vetting customers wasn’t being done to a good enough standard.

“The Code sets out the preventative measures necessary to ensure, to the greatest degree possible, that a gambling Operator’s products, systems and services are not exploited for criminal purposes. Any form of material non-compliance with the Code heightens the risk of money laundering, terrorist financing or proliferation financing occurring.”

Essentially, Celton Manx was not keeping its eye on the ball for potential nefarious activity to be done under its nose. As a consequence, Manx volunteered to give up its license over the issue, and originally fined the operator with a £5.6 million ($7.6 million) fine, but knocked it down to £3.94 million ($5.36 million) after it admitted fault.

SK IOM  casino operator faces gambling authorities in Isle of Man

At the same time, SK IOM has been found in violation of similar rules. According to the investigation, SK IOM hadn’t ensured that its staff in place of managing its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism programs had the right experience for the job.

The Isle of Man’s commission also pointed out that the casino operator hadn’t provided the right resources for those overseeing it to complete their job to the standard expected. Reports also weren’t completed. SK IOM has lost its license, and looking at one of its brands, BetInvite, it has since stopped taking bets as of July 2, when the commission stripped it of its license.

SK IOM’s only domain name listed by the UK mainland commission is BetInvite, indicating that SK IOM might have pulled out of the UK altogether at this point.

Why does the Isle of Man have its own gambling commission?

The Isle of Man is part of the Crown Dependencies. While they’re in the same region, they are self-governing and have their own gambling commissions as a result.

Each of the Channel Islands has its own, including the  Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey. Guernsey encompasses the islands of Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Alderney.

While they’re in the same region, they are self-governing and have their own gambling commissions as a result. Herm and Sark have less than 1000 people between them and are governed under Guernsey law. Alderney, with its over 2000 population, has its own commission.

Featured image: Isle of Man Gambling Commission

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