The UK Gambling Commission has suspended the remote operating licence of Targetlocal Ltd, which trades as Ken Howell’s Sports Betting and runs the website kenhowells.com, after its inquiries found anti-money-laundering failings at the company. The suspension took effect immediately, and the Commission is now reviewing the licence under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005.
The regulator has not detailed the specific AML shortcomings that prompted the action. The affected remote business, licence number 000422-R-336567-002, covers casino, sports betting and virtual event betting offered through Targetlocal’s online operation.
The suspension will remain in place until the Commission is satisfied that the business has addressed its compliance failings. Despite the enforcement action, customers retain access to their accounts and can withdraw funds, and Targetlocal has been told to contact customers through its website with any updates.
The Commission has also instructed the operator to treat consumers fairly throughout the suspension and to keep them fully informed of developments affecting their accounts. Targetlocal’s non-remote general betting standard licence, which covers its land-based betting operations, is not affected by the action and continues to operate as normal.
The Welsh bookmaker told customers it is working to resolve the matter as a matter of urgency, according to Yogonet International.
Section 116 Review in Focus
The statutory review under section 116 gives the Commission scope to keep the suspension in place for as long as it takes to establish confidence in the operator’s controls. The primary source evidence does not specify a timeline for the review’s conclusion, nor does it outline what remedial steps Targetlocal must take to have the suspension lifted.
Practically, this means Targetlocal cannot operate its remote casino, sports betting or virtual event betting products while the review continues, even as its physical shop-based betting business proceeds unaffected.
Part of a Wider Enforcement Pattern
The action adds to a run of UKGC interventions targeting AML controls at remote operators of varying scale. The Commission’s licence suspension and review of BresBet followed a similar pattern of AML concerns triggering immediate remote suspension, while its settlement with QuinnBet addressed AML control failures at another remote licensee.
Source: Yogonet International
Renata Kovacs has spent the better part of a decade following the regulatory shifts and licensing battles that define how gambling markets open, close, and evolve across Europe and beyond. She came up through the legal and compliance side of the industry before shifting her focus to journalism and analysis, giving her a perspective that sits closer to the operator room than the press box. Her coverage tends to cut through the noise and get straight to what a regulatory change actually means for the businesses and players involved.