UK Gambling Commission Suspends Ken Howell’s Sports Betting Licence Over AML Failings

The UK Gambling Commission has suspended the combined remote operating licence of Targetlocal Ltd, which trades as Ken Howell’s Sports Betting and operates the website kenhowells.com, following regulatory enquiries that identified anti-money laundering failings.

The suspension took effect immediately on 21 September 2026 and applies to operating licence number 000422-R-336567-002. The affected licence covers Targetlocal’s online casino, sports betting and virtual event betting activities.

The Gambling Commission is conducting a review of the licence under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005. The regulator has stated that the suspension will remain in place until it is satisfied that the business is compliant with the applicable regulatory requirements.

The Commission has not publicly disclosed the specific anti-money laundering deficiencies identified during its enquiries. The published notice does not provide details concerning particular customers, transactions, source-of-funds assessments, suspicious activity reports, customer due diligence measures, transaction monitoring controls or individual compliance decisions.

The regulator has also not announced a financial penalty in connection with the suspension. The action currently concerns the restriction of Targetlocal’s remote operating activities while the regulatory review is undertaken.

During the suspension, Targetlocal is still permitted to allow customers to access their accounts and withdraw funds. The Gambling Commission has also told the operator that it is expected to treat consumers fairly and keep them fully informed about developments affecting them during the suspension.

The suspension is limited to Targetlocal’s remote operating licence. The company’s non-remote general betting standard licence is not affected by the regulatory action, allowing that separate licensed activity to remain outside the scope of the suspension.

The Gambling Commission’s action follows its wider regulatory requirements concerning anti-money laundering and terrorist financing controls. Licensed gambling operators are required to maintain appropriate risk assessments, policies, procedures and controls addressing the risks that their businesses may be used for money laundering or terrorist financing.

Under licence condition 12.1.1, applicable operators must conduct an appropriate assessment of the risks associated with their business, maintain appropriate policies, procedures and controls, and implement those measures effectively. Risk assessments are also required to be kept under review and updated when circumstances change.

The Targetlocal case remains at the review stage, meaning that the public information currently establishes the existence of the suspension and the regulator’s stated AML concerns but does not establish the precise nature or extent of the underlying deficiencies. The Gambling Commission has not published a final determination setting out detailed findings against the operator.

The regulatory action follows the Gambling Commission’s continued scrutiny of AML controls across the British gambling sector. Recent regulatory material has examined whether operators’ risk assessments adequately reflect the characteristics of their businesses and whether documented policies and procedures are effectively implemented in practice.

Targetlocal’s remote licence suspension therefore remains subject to the outcome of the section 116 review. The Commission has stated that the suspension will continue until it is satisfied that the business has achieved compliance.

The company’s ability to allow customers to access their accounts and withdraw funds remains in place during the suspension. The Gambling Commission has separately emphasised the operator’s obligation to keep customers informed of developments affecting them while the regulatory process continues.

No further details concerning the specific AML failings identified by the Commission have been published in the regulator’s suspension notice. The final regulatory position will therefore depend on the outcome of the ongoing review.

By fLEXI tEAM