GC Suspends BresBet & Bet St George Licences

Kyle Kevin

iGaming Writer

Fact Checked

The Gambling Commission has suspended BresBet and Bet St George licenses on August 28, citing severe anti-money laundering (AML) failures. Operators retain customer access but face indefinite suspension until compliance issues are resolved.

The Gambling Commission has suspended the operating licenses of BresBet Ltd and Bet St George Ltd. The suspension took immediate effect on August 28. The regulator cited suspected failures in social responsibility protocols and anti-money laundering (AML) controls. These reviews were prompted by initial enquiries that flagged potential regulatory shortcomings. The suspensions will remain in place until the operators address and rectify the identified compliance issues to the regulator’s satisfaction. Both operators have been instructed to continue treating customers fairly during the suspension period and to keep consumers informed about any developments affecting them. Importantly, customers will retain access to their accounts, including the ability to withdraw funds, and the sites continue to be contactable through their respective platforms.

GC Suspends BresBet and Bet St George Licences

The Gambling Commission initiated formal license reviews under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005. These reviews were prompted by initial enquiries that flagged potential regulatory shortcomings at BresBet, which runs the bresbet.com platform, and Bet St George, which operates betstgeorge.com. According to a statement from the Commission, the suspensions will remain in place until the operators address and rectify the identified compliance issues to the regulator’s satisfaction. Both operators have been instructed to continue treating customers fairly during the suspension period and to keep consumers informed about any developments affecting them. Importantly, customers will retain access to their accounts, including the ability to withdraw funds, and the sites continue to be contactable through their respective platforms.

BresBet has been an established company operating in the UK since 2021. Bet St George, meanwhile, first launched in the UK earlier this year. Notably, Nic Brereton serves as director for both brands. Speaking to iGB in March, Brereton noted the challenging outlook for the UK sector amid incoming tax hikes, though he also highlighted the opportunity for a new approach in the market. “It’s a challenging time for bookmakers in terms of launching, but we still feel that if you’ve got the right brand, the right cost of service, you’re willing to try and take a bet, there are still opportunities to have a successful business.” Bet St George’s license suspension comes six months after its launch.

Operator Side Failings in AML Controls

Although listed as separate private companies, both share an office block and, until recently, a director. Sarah Laycock, who had been the managing director for BresBet since 2025, resigned earlier this month. Laycock also resigned from Bet St George on the same day. Brereton resigned from BresBet in 2021 but was reappointed in 2023. Last month, the GC published its anti-money laundering and terrorist financing report revealing that operator-side failings remained a major contributor to ML/TF risk. Across multiple subsectors, the Commission noted deficient AML/CTF policies and controls as well as poorly trained personnel.

The report also noted the inadequate or improperly set AML thresholds and the weak monitoring of linked or duplicate accounts. A couple of weeks ago QuinnBet was ordered to pay £609,104 ($830,501) also due to AML failings. Industry folk have been critical of the Commission’s tendency to introduce fines or regulatory settlements following compliance failures. Speaking to iGB recently, Terry White, a safer gambling advocate and former betting shop manager, had criticised the GC for only fining and not suspending those companies breaching AML policies.

“When a betting shop or organisation is told that they can’t trade in the UK or globally, for let’s say a month, that’ll hurt them, and they’ll never do it again,” he said. “But they’ll pay [a fine] all day long. They’re not bothered. It’s the price of doing business.” “[They get] fined astronomical amounts of money again, but their licence does not get revoked or suspended. The companies don’t care. They make more than that in what they actually do.” For Asian players tracking regulatory trends, the AGBrief platform covers regional gaming developments.

Director and Management Changes

The structural overlap between BresBet and Bet St George is significant. Both companies share an office block and, until recently, a director. Sarah Laycock, who had been the managing director for BresBet since 2025, resigned earlier this month. Laycock also resigned from Bet St George on the same day. Brereton resigned from BresBet in 2021 but was reappointed in 2023. This shared management structure suggests a common operational backbone, which may explain why both operators failed similar AML checks simultaneously. The simultaneous resignation of Laycock indicates a strategic shift in governance, possibly to address the compliance issues that triggered the GC’s suspension.

Nic Brereton serves as director for both brands. Speaking to iGB in March, Brereton noted the challenging outlook for the UK sector amid incoming tax hikes, though he also highlighted the opportunity for a new approach in the market. “It’s a challenging time for bookmakers in terms of launching, but we still feel that if you’ve got the right brand, the right cost of service, you’re willing to try and take a bet, there are still opportunities to have a successful business.” Bet St George’s license suspension comes six months after its launch. The rapid failure suggests that regulatory compliance was not adequately integrated into the initial launch strategy.

AML Report Findings and Industry Criticism

Last month, the GC published its anti-money laundering and terrorist financing report revealing that operator-side failings remained a major contributor to ML/TF risk. Across multiple subsectors, the Commission noted deficient AML/CTF policies and controls as well as poorly trained personnel. The report also noted the inadequate or improperly set AML thresholds and the weak monitoring of linked or duplicate accounts. A couple of weeks ago QuinnBet was ordered to pay £609,104 ($830,501) also due to AML failings. Industry folk have been critical of the Commission’s tendency to introduce fines or regulatory settlements following compliance failures.

Speaking to iGB recently, Terry White, a safer gambling advocate and former betting shop manager, had criticised the GC for only fining and not suspending those companies breaching AML policies. “When a betting shop or organisation is told that they can’t trade in the UK or globally, for let’s say a month, that’ll hurt them, and they’ll never do it again,” he said. “But they’ll pay [a fine] all day long. They’re not bothered. It’s the price of doing business.” “[They get] fined astronomical amounts of money again, but their licence does not get revoked or suspended. The companies don’t care. They make more than that in what they actually do.” This criticism highlights a recurring theme in iGaming regulation: fines are often seen as a cost of business rather than a deterrent to non-compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

This article has been thoroughly researched and reviewed by the CasinoBait editorial team to ensure accuracy and relevance for Asian casino players.