Kindred Group has received four reprimands and one order form the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA), Spillemyndigheden, specifically relating to its Unibet brand.
A DGA investigation found that the sports betting operator had committed a ‘number of breaches’ of AML and KYC requirements. In particular, the brand was found to have ‘not sufficiently made a risk assessment’ of customer types and games offered, resulting in the one and only order from the regulator.
Releasing an official statement on the matter, Kindred updated that it had updated its AML framework in cooperation with Spillemyndigheden, and plans to continue working alongside the authority to ensure it operates to the ‘highest quality and standards’.
“As previously communicated Unibet ’Denmark’ Limited, which operates Kindred Group’s Danish business, has been reprimanded by the Danish Gambling Authority, DGA, regarding past failing related to AML,” the group explained.
“Since then, Unibet has in collaboration with the Danish Gambling Authority updated its AML framework accordingly and will provide the DGA with an updated risk assessment. Kindred Group have the ambition to demonstrate the highest quality and standards in the industry and we are pleased to see that the DGA have now acknowledged that the breaches no longer exists.
“Kindred has corresponded with the DGA in the matter in an open, transparent and productive manner throughout the process. We will continue with the collaboration and do everything necessary to further strengthen our control procedures, maintaining our ambitions on offering high consumer safety and AML security.”
Under the requirements of the Money Laundering Act, Unibet was reprimanded for failing to have sufficient written business procedures for monitoring of customer relations or collecting and assessing money laundering documentation up until 25 January 2022.
Furthermore, up until 22 April 2021, Unibet did not implement adequate business procedures for managing ‘politically exposed persons’, or their family members and close associates, resulting in a third reprimand.
A fourth reprimand was given due to a spot check of 20 ‘high roller’ Unibet customers revealing inadequate KYC measures in five out of 20 cases – in three of these cases the firm had also failed to investigate suspicious transactions and in one had not made an immediate report to the Money Laundering Secretariat despite having a reason to suspect money laundering.
Additionally, a ‘young player’ was able to deposit DKK 1 million (€134,511) into his account using six different payment slips within a year, without Unibet conducting a check into whether the account holder’s funds originated from criminal activity. This resulted in the fifth and final reprimand for the operator.
As with one of the other cases, Unibet also failed to report this case to Money Laundering Secretariat, having only investigated the deposits after the individual was no longer a Unibet customer, six months after the firm had a suspicion of money laundering and only after it was contacted by Spillemyndigheden.
Unibet was initially handed a two month deadline to comply with the order to correct its risk assessment – which it has now stated it is cooperating with the DGA to do so – but has no obligation to act on the four repraids since the ‘breaches no longer exist’.
Spillemyndigheden stated: “The Danish Gambling Authority notes that the rules on risk assessment, business procedures, KYC measures, and the obligation to investigate and report are fundamental parts of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. Breaches of the rules lead to an order or a reprimand.”
