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  1. Public Register
  2. Businesses
  3. PPB Counterparty Services...

PPB Counterparty Services Limited

Account number

39439

Head office address

Level 2, Spinola Park, Mikiel Ang. Borg Street,
St. Julians, SPK1000, Malta

Regulatory actions

Sanction
What is a sanction?

When a licence holder has not followed rules and regulations aimed at ensuring gambling is fair, safe and crime-free, we can take action and impose the following sanctions:

  • Give the licensee a warning
  • Add, remove, or amend a condition to the licence
  • Suspend a licence
  • Revoke a licence
  • Impose a financial penalty

Decision date: 9 May 2023

Outcomes: Financial penalty

Details of action

1. PPB Counterparty Services Limited ("the Licensee") notified the Gambling Commission ("the Commission"), via a LCCP notification submitted on 26 November 2021, that on 21 November 2021, as a result of human error, a push notification was inadvertently sent to Apple devices linked to accounts of customers that had self-excluded from the Licensee.

2. Following an investigation, the Commission found that the Licensee had failed to comply with paragraphs 2 and 3 of Social Responsibility Code Provision ("SRCP") 3.5.3, requiring licensees to take all reasonable steps to prevent any marketing material being sent to a self-excluded customer and to take steps to remove the name and details of a self-excluded individual from any marketing databases within two days of receiving the completed self-exclusion notification.

3. The Licensee accepted that its actions amounted to a breach of SRCP 3.5.3.

4. The failure to comply with an SRCP is a breach of a licence condition by virtue of section 82(1) of the Gambling Act 2005 ("the Act").

5. The Commission decided to impose a financial penalty on the Licensee under section 121(1) of the Act in line with the Commission's Licensing, compliance and enforcement policy statement, the Indicative sanctions guidance, and the Statement of principles for determining financial penalties.

6. The Licensee appealed against the said penalty to the First-Tier Tribunal.

7. The Commission and the Licensee agreed to dispose of the appeal by consent and the acceptance by the Licensee of a substitute financial penalty of £490,000.

8. Further, the Licensee agreed to instruct an independent third party to undertake an audit of its marketing communication processes and procedures, at its own expense. 

9. The Commission acknowledges that neither it nor the Licensee received any contacts or complaints from customers in respect of this matter.

10. The Commission further acknowledges that the Licensee proactively notified the Commission of the incident promptly after it occurred, took immediate remedial action, and co-operated fully with the Commission throughout its investigation.

Settlement
What is a settlement?

Following an investigation into a licence holder we may enter into a regulatory settlement. These take place, for example, where the licence holder has been open and transparent with us and has shown a willingness to suggest actions that prevent the need for a more formal sanction.

Decision date: 17 December 2025

Outcomes: Commission costs, Public statement and Payment in lieu of financial penalty

Details of action

A licence review under section 116 of the Act was commenced following a Compliance Assessment undertaken by the Commission in April and May 2024 of the remote operating licences of four licensees trading under the names Betfair (at betfair.com) and Paddy Power (at paddypower.com). The Licensees subject to assessment were:

  • PPB Entertainment Limited (licence number 039426-R-319332-024)
  • PPB Counterparty Services Limited (licence number 039439-R-319330-011)
  • Betfair Casino Limited (licence number 039435-R-319329-007)
  • TSE Malta LP (licence number 039561-R-319411-007).

The review found failings in Paddy Power Betfair’s Social Responsibility (SR) controls.

All four of the Licensees set out above failed to comply with the following Licence Conditions and  Codes of Practice (LCCP):

In line with our Statement of Principles for Licensing and regulation, the Licensees will make a total payment in lieu of a financial penalty of £2,000,000. Details of this are set out under the heading Regulatory Settlement.

Further information about this case can be found on the Gambling Commission’s public statement, which can be found here: Paddy Power Betfair Public Statement

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