A UK man who operated an unlawful betting service through WhatsApp and failed to return a customer’s £269,000 balance has been handed a 30-week suspended prison sentence alongside 200 hours of community service.
Haydon Simcock, 40, of Stoke-on-Trent, was also ordered to complete 20 hours of rehabilitation activity and to pay £230,000 in compensation, according to a release from the Gambling Commission (UKGC).
He also has to pay £60,000 for UKGC costs associated with the process.
The gaming regulator said that it sought £230,000 because the victim had deposited £240,000 but had already received £10,000 back.
Simcock had earlier pleaded guilty to providing unlicensed gambling between 18 October 2023 and 11 September 2024, and to promoting unlawful gambling without a licence between 26 May 2023 and 1 March 2024.
At the time, according to local media reports, he was the commercial manager for unlicensed bookie The Post Bookmakers.
An undercover investigation by the Racing Post in 2024 uncovered Simcock’s involvement with the company.
The media outlet reported at the time that the illegal bookie offered a “bespoke service to those who cannot or will not bet with regulated firms, citing affordability checks and account restrictions as key reasons customers choose to bet with them.”
Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard that the Gambling Commission, working with Staffordshire Police, opened an investigation after receiving intelligence from a Racing Post reporter.
The inquiry found that Simcock undertook multiple operational roles at The Post Bookmakers.
These included inviting individuals to gamble via WhatsApp, setting up accounts, handling customer enquiries, collecting cash deposits, agreeing odds and incentives, and managing payments.
Data recovered from his devices also showed he knowingly accepted bets from individuals he believed to be involved in drug activity.
He also claimed he could make an unhappy customer “disappear” and failed to pay out a £269,000 balance owed to one victim. Despite this, he repeatedly assured the customer that their funds were secure.
Magistrates told Simcock he had “narrowly avoided custody”, suspending the sentence for two years.
Commission Director of Enforcement John Pierce said the case highlighted the myriad risks posed by illegal gambling, noting that unlicensed operators often show no regard for consumer protection and may be linked to criminal behaviour.
He added that the investigation demonstrated the regulator’s determination to act against unlawful operators and emphasised that using mobile apps such as WhatsApp does not shield illegal gambling from scrutiny.
#IllegalGambling #UKGC #ConsumerProtection #UnlicensedBetting #GamblingEnforcement #WhatsAppBetting
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