UK Gambling Commission suspends Targetlocal Ltd’s remote licence over suspected AML breaches

The UK Gambling Commission has suspended the combined remote operating licence of Targetlocal Ltd, which trades as Ken Howell’s Sports Betting, while it reviews the licence under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005. For PSPs and acquirers serving high-risk gambling, the important bit is simple: the remote book is frozen pending compliance review, but customer access to accounts and withdrawals must remain available.

1. The regulator said the suspension is tied to alleged anti-money laundering failings. It said the licence will stay suspended until it is satisfied the business is compliant.
2. The Gambling Commission told the operator that, during the suspension, it is expected to treat consumers fairly and keep them fully informed of any developments affecting them. It also said the suspension takes effect immediately.
3. Targetlocal Ltd can still allow consumers to access their accounts and withdraw funds, and the business can be contacted through its website. In other words, this is a licence action, not a full shutdown of customer servicing.
4. The Welsh operator received a sports betting licence from the Gambling Commission in July 2024 and a remote sports and online casino licence a month later. This suspension affects only the remote licence and does not impact Targetlocal’s ability to operate non-remote general betting.
5. Last week, the Gambling Commission published its annual report and the latest Gambling Survey of Great Britain statistics. The report showed British gross gambling yield rose 4.4 per cent to £17.5bn from April 2025 to March 2026.