UKGC Slaps Lindar Media with a £690,947 Fine

The United Kingdom’s Gambling Commission (UKGC) has slapped Lindar Media with a fine for a variety of failings. The decision follows a compliance assessment of the operator’s business, originally launched in September 2022.

The UKGC discovered multiple compliance shortcomings related to Lindar Media’s social responsibility and anti-money laundering practices. In addition, the regulator found weaknesses in the operator’s reporting arrangements in respect of key events.

The company also failed to advertise its marketing products in a socially responsible manner, as attested by an advertisement featuring Spiderman, which the UKGC argued might have appealed to children. In addition to that, Lindar Media did not make annual contributions to safer gambling organizations.

The UKGC highlighted the serious nature of the breaches. The regulator also pointed out that they reflect previous cases, meaning that the wider industry still hasn’t learned enough from such cases.

As a result of its failings, Lindar Media will have to pay a £690,947 ($854,186) regulatory settlement. All of the money will be donated to socially responsible causes.

Lindar Promises to Do Better

Despite the fine, the UKGC did take into account a variety of mitigating factors. In addition to praising Lindar Media’s transparency and cooperativeness, the regulator also noted that the operator made an early regulatory settlement proposal, admitting its failings at the earliest opportunity.

Furthermore, the authority praised the operator on its immediate steps to rectify the identified breaches. In some cases the operator had even implemented changes before the compliance assessment, the UKGC noted.

Luckily, none of Lindar Media’s breaches resulted in any criminal activity and money laundering, the regulator remarked.

Savvas Fellas, Lindar Media’s chief executive officer, released a statement on Lindar Media’s progress. He explained that he has sought to help the organization’s day-to-day operations mature since 2022. To that end, Fellas has been working hard to develop the senior leadership team and implement scalable processes that provide consistency.

We’ve implemented scalable processes that provide consistency as we grow and built technology-driven models that underpin compliance and safer gambling promises to our players; all of which are aligned with our mission of offering progressive, value entertainment with delight and transparency.

Savvas Fellas, CEO, Lindar Media

Lindar Media, which operates and trades as MrQ, remains bullish on improving its compliance standards and becoming an exemplary company. The UKGC’s investigation has prompted the entertainment company to invest in improved practices, ensuring its compliance. The operator is fully committed to working with the UKGC to make sure that no further violations are committed.