Easygo-owned betting and gaming operator Stake is set to shut down its operations in the United Kingdom after the Gambling Commission launched an investigation into a controversial video on social media featuring its branding.
TGP Europe, which operates Stake.uk.com website on a white-label agreement, has confirmed that the site will be closed down on 11 March, with new registrations to Stake.uk.com to be immediately stopped and redirection links from the main Stake website removed.
The action comes amid an investigation by the UK gambling regulator into a widely viewed video displaying the Stake logo, which was distributed on social media in December and featured an adult film star outside Nottingham Trent University.
TGP has previously faced regulatory action by the Commission in April 2023, and was fined £316,250 for anti-money laundering and social responsibility failures.
In a statement, Stake said that its its decision to end its white label activities in the UK was a strategic decision.
“Stake has made a strategic decision in mutual agreement with TGP Europe to exit white-label agreements and focus on securing local licenses through our in-house platform and operations, building upon our growth in key regulated markets such as our recent expansions into Italy and Brazil,” said a Stake spokesperson.
The Commission will also be writing to English Premier League side Everton, which is sponsored by Stake, as well as two other football clubs with unlicensed sponsors, warning them of the risks of promoting unlicensed gambling sites.
The regulator will seek assurance from the football clubs that they have carried out due diligence on their white-label partners and that UK customers cannot transact on the unlicensed sites.
Clubs will be asked to show that they have taken steps to geo-block the unlicensed sites and that these steps are effective, given the prevalence of VPN tools. The Commission will also be taking steps to independently verify effective measures are in place.
The letter will also warn club officials that they could face prosecution and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in the UK.