The Gambling Commission has suspended the remote operating licence of Targetlocal Ltd, trading as Ken Howell's Sports Betting, effective immediately following the discovery of significant anti-money laundering compliance gaps.

What's happened

The suspension affects the combined remote licence covering casino, sports betting, and virtual event betting operations at kenhowells.com. Commission enquiries identified AML failings serious enough to warrant immediate action, triggering a formal review under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005.

The operator will remain suspended until the Commission is satisfied the business meets required compliance standards. This is a major enforcement move and reflects the regulator's commitment to maintaining the integrity of the UK gambling market.

What operators and players need to know

Here's what matters: the suspension doesn't prevent customers from accessing accounts or withdrawing funds. Targetlocal Ltd must continue treating consumers fairly and keep them informed of developments affecting their accounts. The company remains contactable via its website for customer queries.

Worth noting that the suspension applies only to the remote licence. Targetlocal Ltd's non-remote general betting standard licence is unaffected, though the scope for meaningful operations under that permission is limited.

The broader picture

This enforcement action underscores why AML compliance matters across the industry. Anti-money laundering controls aren't bureaucratic red tape; they're fundamental to protecting the sector from financial crime and maintaining the trust that underpins UK gambling regulation.

For operators, the message comes through loud and clear: the Commission will act decisively when compliance standards slip. For players, it demonstrates the regulator is actively monitoring licensees to protect consumer interests.