An investigation led by the UK Gambling Commission, in partnership with UK law enforcement partners through the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN) and specialists from Facebook, has seen the disruption of illegal lotteries operating on the social networking platform, the regulator announced on Wednesday.
According to the UKGC, the partnership work was a “success” in shutting down the illegal products. The Commission’s probe focused on the operation of unlicenced lotteries given the risks they posed to consumers and vulnerable people.
The lotteries, which offered a variety of cash prizes, children’s toys and clothing, saw two individuals identified for promoting illegal activity and removed from associated Facebook groups after being issued with cease and desist letters by the North East Regional Special Operations and South West Regional Organised Crime Units respectively, explains the UKGC.
“There were hundreds of people taking part in these lotteries but it was important to identify those who were organising and moderating them illegally,” said Helen Venn, executive director of the Gambling Commission. “Working alongside our colleagues at Facebook and the police, we are pleased that key individuals have been identified and this type of activity, which only increases the risk of gambling harm, has been disrupted.”
Venn, who leads the Commission’s licensing, compliance and enforcement teams, further added that many of these lotteries fail to give any funds to good causes, and consumers taking part “do not benefit from legal protection.”
“Illegal lotteries, including those taking place through social media channels, will continue to be a focus for our enforcement work this year as we link up closely with platforms like Facebook to pinpoint not only the activity, but those behind it and those who are breaching gambling rules and social media standards,” the executive director explained.
Partnership working between the Commission, UK law enforcement partners at the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), and specialists from Facebook, has seen the disruption of illegal lotteries operating on the social media platform. Read more: https://t.co/vJQ2sOxYJZ pic.twitter.com/4u314wCti6
— Gambling Commission (@GamRegGB) February 2, 2022
“We know the actual winners in illegal lotteries, which often promise high-value prizes and cash draws, are too often the people running them – and they are persistent in their attempts to keep operating,” said David Gill, GAIN Coordinator at the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit. “We will continue to support the Gambling Commission in targeting and disrupting people profiting from such illegal schemes.”
According to Gill, work like the one carried out in partnership with the UKGC and Facebook shows “the value and absolute necessity” of the full range of enforcement agencies working together “as part of the GAIN network.”
“It’s important to acknowledge the harm illegal gambling can cause, especially when unregulated lotteries like these benefit from targeting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, especially those caught up in a cycle of addiction,” described Kevin Benson, GAIN Coordinator based at the North East Regional Special Operations Unit. “We will continue to work alongside our partners and help assist in the disruption of illegal gambling platforms.”