Casinos providing money service business activities: HMRC registration
03 April 2025
Casinos offering services to customers including acting as a cheque casher or currency exchange, accepting winners’ cheques and foreign currency, or transmitting money are considered to be providing MSB services under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (the MLR 2017).
Under the MLR 2017, the Gambling Commission is the supervisory authority for casinos in the UK and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the supervisory authority for MSBs. Pursuant to Regulation 7(2) of the MLR 2017, the Commission and HMRC have agreed that the Commission will act as the supervisory body for businesses operating as casinos, where such businesses also carry out incidental MSB activities.
The MLR 2017 requires HMRC to maintain a register of MSBs. Therefore, all casinos providing MSB services have to register with HMRC. The Commission intends to enter into an agreement with HMRC under which the Commission will provide the necessary registration details directly to HMRC so that the licence holders this applies to will not have to apply directly to HMRC to be on the register. Specific details will be shared with HMRC to facilitate registration of those operators providing MSB services.
Compliance with your legal obligations is important because it contributes to tackling the serious economic and social harm from organised crime. It also contributes to reducing the threat from terrorism in the UK and around the globe.
The Commission would like to bring the attention of licence holders providing MSB services to HMRC’s current guidance on meeting the requirements - Money service business guidance for money laundering supervision (opens in new tab) and Understanding risks and taking action for money service businesses (opens in new tab).
More information on the agreement with HMRC will be provided in due course.