Grosvenor Casino Owner to Pay £5 Million Fine Over UK Licence Breaches

The operator of Grosvenor Casino has been hit with a £5 million fine by the UK Gambling Commission after they were found to have breached their licence conditions.

The Rank Group, who also own brands like Mecca Bingo, were found to have committed several failings in the areas of social responsibility and anti-money laundering.

It’s the second time that Rank has been fined by the regulator, with a prior £500,000 sanction being handed out back in 2018.

Social Responsibility Breaches

When documenting its regulatory sanctions, the Gambling Commission publishes an article with ‘real world’ examples of how the operator breached its licence conditions.

And there are some horror stories as far as Rank are concerned, with one customer allowed to gamble away a £250,000 win at Grosvenor Casino – ultimately losing every single penny – over the course of just 12 days.

Another scenario shared by the UKGC revealed that another individual was able to lose £50,000 without any member of staff checking in, while another – who had previously self-excluded from being able to bet – subsequently lost £25,000 without any intervention from Rank.

These are just three of a catalogue of examples, with the Rank Group found to have breached several of the Social Responsibility Code Provisions during the Gambling Commission’s investigation.

Anti-Money Laundering Failings

In addition, the regulator’s probe also unearthed a series of anti-money laundering (AML) policy breaches.

One individual staked £85,000 exclusively in cash at a Grosvenor Casino venue in just eleven weeks, with no member of staff conducting a source of funds or source of wealth check.

Another was background checked by staff and allowed to continue gambling despite them listing cryptocurrency as their source of funds, while a student from China was able to stake huge sums without being subject to an enhanced AML status.

A big spending customer was able to wager £200,000 without the Rank Group having any record of their income documented, nor was any form of photographic ID requested.

Reflecting on the case, the Gambling Commission’s executive director of operations – Sue Young – said:

Tough Times

It’s fair to say that the Rank Group saw the punishment coming, having made a £5 million provision when reporting their 2025/26 financial accounts.

It was reported back in May that the company had made a settlement offer of £5 million to the regulator, as opposed to further investigation being carried out.

The sum will now be paid into the government’s Consolidation Fund, while Rank will also be subject to regular third-party checks to ensure that their policies are being better implemented.

Machine Games Duty Controversy

The wake-up call has certainly been timely, given that brands like Grosvenor Casino and Mecca Bingo will likely face increasing financial pressures in the coming months.

The government is expected to hike Machine Games Duty (MGD) in their Autumn Budget later this month, with some estimating that the tax could reach as high as 40% on revenue.

That has caused an outcry in the industry, with the likelihood that some betting shops, casinos, bingo halls and Adult Gaming Centres may be forced to close.

The Rank Group has already confirmed that around 33% of their entire portfolio of gambling venues could be affected, with around 2,000 jobs at risk, if MGD is increased significantly.