The operator of three Adult Gaming Centres (AGCs) in Leicester has been fined £150,000 by the Gambling Commission for failing to comply with self-exclusion requirements.
The GC said that Holland Park Leisure Limited did not implement a multi-operator self-exclusion scheme until its licence was suspended in October 2025.
John Pierce, Director of Enforcement and Intelligence, said: “Self-exclusion schemes provide a crucial service for people who feel they are suffering gambling harm. It is important that all operators fully integrate with the scheme and maintain effective safeguards for self-excluded customers.
“Every operator must ensure that they are fully participating in a recognised multi-operator self-exclusion scheme, that they have effective procedures to identify and prevent self-excluded customers from gambling in any of their premises, and that their staff are trained to manage self-exclusion and direct individuals to relevant support services.”
The GC said that Holland Park Leisure must now also undergo a third-party audit to review its policies and the training and competency of its staff.
It also noted that the weight of the fine was impacted by the fact that Holland Park Leisure was informed of its non-compliance with the Social Responsibility Code but failed to take the required action to rectify the issue.
“These are not optional requirements. They are fundamental licence conditions designed to protect consumers from harm, and operators that fail to meet them can expect regulatory action,” added Pierce.
AGCs under the microscope
Though a relatively small operator, any signs of wrongdoing by AGC operators will ring alarms for the industry as it continues to face greater scrutiny by the UK government.
Last week, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned that there would be a crackdown on ‘vape shops, betting shops and dodgy businesses’ on the UK high street.
As part of these changes, Burnham is scrapping the Aim to Permit rules that eased the planning permission process for prospective gambling venues, as well as bringing in new planning permission requirements for AGCs in England.
The move was welcomed by MPs such as Dawn Butler, who had campaigned against Aim to Permit, arguing that it allowed gambling operators to target vulnerable communities.
However, industry figures have warned against equating the betting industry with other aspects of the high street.
The Betting and Gaming Council told SlotBeats: “It is wrong to lump highly regulated, licensed betting shops together with rogue or criminal businesses. Betting shops still support 37,500 jobs, bring vital footfall to neighbouring businesses and, for many customers, are valued community hubs.
“The real threat to Britain’s hard-pressed high streets is more empty units and fewer local jobs, not businesses rooted in the communities they serve.”