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Swift Casino trading as Skill on Net Ltd

Request date: 15 January 2023

This version was printed or saved on: 16 February 2025

Online version: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/about-us/freedomofinformation/swift-casino-trading-as-skill-on-net-ltd

Request

Please treat this as an FOI request on Swift Casino trading as Skill on Net Ltd registered in Cyprus and under GC licence number 39326.

I wish to understand how the Gambling Commission has licensed this company to operate with the U.K. public.

I and many others have suspicions that the company is fraudulent.

Therefore, I request to see all pertinent material held by the GC in regard to this company. Specifically I want to see their licence; the terms of their licence particularly in regard to fairness and protections for U.K. consumers. What penalties are detailed in their licence or their general conduct in order to operate in the U.K.

Please also copy any details of GC investigations into Swift Casino and of any warnings or fines given to them previously.

Response

Dear REDACTED

Thank you for your request which has been processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

In your email you have requested information relating to Swift Casino trading as Skill on Net Ltd registered in Cyprus and under GC licence number 39326. Specifically, all pertinent material held by the GC in regard to this company.

Gambling operators are required to hold a licence from the Gambling Commission in order to offer facilities for gambling to customers located in Great Britain. The Commission goes through a licence application process as part of this and makes an assessment of suitability against criteria set out in the Act. Part 5 of the Gambling Act 2005 details the Commission’s statutory functions in relation to the licensing requirements. The Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) set out the requirements all licensees must meet in order to hold a Gambling Commission licence.

https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/lccp

Section 21 of the FOIA provides that information is exempt where it is reasonably accessible elsewhere.

We publish registers of licensed businesses and individuals here: Register of gambling businesses - Gambling Commission

The publicly available licence details for Copybet can be viewed here: Skill On Net Limited - Licence summary - Gambling Commission

When we receive licence applications an assessment is made on whether a business will uphold the licensing objectives and also the suitability of the applicant to carry out the activities that the licence allows. As part of this assessment the Commission will request the following evidence to support the application and the individuals who are relevant to the application, such as:

Details with regards to how we process a licence application can be found on our website:

https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/for-gambling-businesses/Apply-for-a-licence/How-do-I-apply-for-an-operating-licence.aspx

These checks are carried out to ensure that we meet our obligations under the Act and our Statement of Principles.

https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/policy/statement-of-principles-for-licensing-and-regulation

Once licensed, gambling operators are subject to ongoing compliance requirements and are subject to regulatory action should they fail to meet their licence requirements.

Information collated as part of this process is used to assess whether a person or entity is fit to hold a licence.

I can confirm that information falling within the scope of your request is held. However, the Commission is of the view that any information in relation to specific operators, other than what is made publicly available, is exempt from disclosure under section 31(1)g of the FOIA (‘law enforcement’) and therefore will not be released.

Section 31

Section 31(1)(g) exempts information whose disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the exercise by any public authority of its functions for any of the purposes specified in subsection (2).

The Gambling Commission considers the subsections as follows apply and therefore the information is exempt from disclosure:

  1. subsection 31(2)(a) refers to the purpose of ascertaining whether any person has failed to comply with the law
  2. subsection 31(2)(b) refers to the purpose of ascertaining whether any person is responsible for any conduct which is improper
  3. subsection 31(2)(c) refers to the purpose of ascertaining whether circumstances which would justify regulatory action in pursuance of any enactment exist or may arise
  4. subsection 31(2)(d) refers to the purpose of ascertaining a person’s fitness or competence in relation to the management of bodies corporate or in relation to any profession or other activity which he is, or seeks to become, authorised to carry on.

Public interest test

The factors the Gambling Commission has considered when applying the public interest test have been detailed as follows.

Arguments in favour of disclosure

The arguments in favour of disclosure are as follows:

Arguments in favour of maintaining the exemption

The arguments in favour of maintaining the exemption are as follows:

Weighing the balance

The Gambling Commission acknowledges that there is a public interest in promoting the accountability and transparency of public authorities and the importance of having sufficient information in the public domain to support consumers with their choice of operator, however, disclosure of the information would be damaging to the Commission as a regulatory body which ultimately serves to protect the wider public interest.

It is important that the public are assured that the Commission is carrying out its functions in ensuring that any individuals and/or organisations who are involved in providing gambling facilities to the public have undergone the necessary assessments and will uphold the licencing objectives ensuring that consumers are protected.

However, there is a strong public interest in preserving the processes that the Commission has in place to assess operators’ compliance with the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) and identify any operators who will be unable to comply with the licensing requirements. The public trust that the Commission has robust processes in place to assess operators so that when they use the services provided by an operator, they are confident that there has been sufficient scrutiny of that operator to ensure that they are protected. If this information were released it would undermine that confidence.

We consider that the public interest is better served by withholding this information, ensuring that consumers are protected through our processes rather than releasing information about our processes which in our view will not benefit the public as a whole.

Review of the decision

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your Freedom of Information request you are entitled to an internal review of our decision. You should write to FOI Team, Gambling Commission, 4th floor, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP or by reply to this email.

Please note, internal review requests should be made within 40 working days of the initial response. Requests made outside this timeframe will not be processed.

If you are not content with the outcome of our review, you may then apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have already exhausted the review procedure provided by the Gambling Commission.

The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office (opens in a new tab), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Information Management Team
Gambling Commission
Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B2 4BP