The Alderney Gambling Commission revealed in its 2019 annual report that the number of gambling businesses that were granted with operating licences declined from 53 in 2018 to 33 in 2019.
As revealed by the gambling regulatory body itself, the Alderney Gambling Commission issued a total of six new licences, down from eight licences issued in the previous year. Also, a further 27 gambling operating permits were renewed. The gambling watchdog said Cashbet and Genting were among the companies that saw their licences expire in the period. The same applies to subsidiaries of a few gambling suppliers such as NYX Gaming Group of SG Digital, Inspired Entertainment and International Game Technology.
As far as inspections of licensees’ businesses are concerned, a total of 33 probes were carried out by the Gambling Commission in 2019. The regulatory body revealed that the investigations proved that the licensees were strictly in line with the regulatory compliance rules. The watchdog further noted that the checks reaffirmed how important it is for a gambling regulatory body to have active operational controls on the sector it oversees.
The 2019 annual report of the Alderney Gambling Commission showed that the regulator did not impose any sanctions against gambling operators in the 12-month period. Furthermore, no regulatory hearings or special investigations into gambling businesses were held during the respective year. Still, remedial measures were imposed by the gambling watchdog on 86 occasions associated with compliance with anti-money laundering and terrorism financing rules.
Overall Licence Fee Revenue of the Regulator Also Declines in 2019
The amount that the Alderney Gambling Commission got from licence fees for the year 2019 was £4.0 million. The figure represents an 18.7% decline from the previous year. Another £589,648 were generated through fees charged to customers, representing a 4.7% decline from a year earlier. A 27.7% increase was registered in bank interest in 2019, which rose to £10,458.
The overall tax revenue of the gambling regulatory body for 2019 experienced a 17.1% decline to £4.6 million.
The Commission’s expenses in the year 2019 rose by 4.5% to £2.6 million. As revealed by the watchdog itself in its latest annual report, staff costs grew by 3.1% to £1.8 million. Also, a 20% increase was registered in Commissioners’ fees, which amounted to £144,939. The administrative costs made by the regulator last year increased by 8.1% to £198,218, while a massive 107.8% growth was registered in the watchdog’s web hosting costs, which were worth £183,649. The overall expenses for equipment, premises and furniture rose to £89,355, following a 13.8% increase year-on-year.
The Chairman of the Alderney Gambling Commission, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, explained that regardless of the decline registered in the number of licensees and the fall in the overall tax income of the watchdog, the Commission remains optimistic for the future.
- Author
Daniel Williams
