A 30-week suspended sentence has been handed down to an illegal British bookmaker who failed to pay an outstanding balance of more than £200,000 to a customer. An investigation, led by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) and Staffordshire Police, also found Haydon Simcock, 40, provided gambling services without a licence.
Mr Simcock would invite individuals to participate via WhatsApp, accepting cash and making bets on his client’s behalf. He would act like a fully licensed operator, according to investigators, and would act as a customer services agent, provide administrative backup, suggest odds and create offers through referral schemes. In sentencing at the Birmingham Magistrates Crown Court, judges told the offending party that he was fortunate to escape custody.
Communications uncovered on his electronic devices revealed a clientele relationship with those he suspected to be drug dealers, according to court documents, suggesting he would make unhappy customers disappear if he wanted. Director of Enforcement at the UKGC, John Pierce, said the case demonstrated the lengths the commission will go to enforce safe and legal gambling.
He said: “This case illustrates all the risks that consumers face from illegal gambling. Links to crime, having no regard for social responsibility, repeatedly exploiting consumers and operating without any of the necessary operational safeguards in place. This investigation shows our determination to take action against illegal operators and protect consumers from harm.”
He added it was a warning for other criminals thinking about navigating the system. “Using mobile apps like WhatsApp does not make illegal gambling invisible or beyond our reach. We can evidence such activity is taking place and we will use every power available to us to play our part in removing this unlawful activity from the British marketplace and to ensure those responsible are held to account for their actions.”
Black market uncertainty dominates UK
A key finding from a recent UKGC-led report into the prevalence of Black Market gambling in the UK was the lack of understanding in how widespread the practice is among illegal operators. The study, which was the first of its kind by the commission, was unable to reach a conclusion, citing inadequate measurement and monitoring methods.
In its executive summary, the commission said: “Estimating the scale of the market is a worthwhile goal, as it helps us understand if our work to disrupt this market is achieving success by making it difficult for illegal gambling to be offered at scale to consumers in Great Britain. It also demonstrates the need for wider action, from a range of stakeholders in order to achieve a sustainable reduction in this risk to consumers in Great Britain.”
Though not conclusive, the report reiterates the need to crack down on the spread of black market betting in unregulated markets such as the crypto space. In his CEO Briefing for the year of 2025 last month, Andrew Rhodes, UKGC Chief Executive, highlighted the determination of the commission to target those facilitating the illegal market to protect vulnerable players.
He said: “There is nothing more exploitative than the illegal market. We are here for all consumers. If they’re self excluded and they take the choice to not gamble because that’s the right thing for them, they shouldn’t be exploited by criminals, organised crime and unscrupulous people seeking to take that opportunity in the illegal market.”
UKGC dragged into civil suit with ex-GVC leadership team
In a separate case, ex-GVC executives Kenny Alexander and Lee Feldman are taking the UKGC to a civil court, accusing it of breaching their right to privacy during the regulator’s intervention in their attempted takeover of online casino firm 888. The duo are currently staring down the barrel of a 2028 trial, facing charges of corruption and bribery for their dealings with a Turkish-based part of the GVC business between 2011 and 2018.
The UKGC are expected to fight the charges. They will argue none of the publications relating to Feldman or Alexander disclosed their private information, nor have the men been caused any damage.
Entain (formerly GVC Holdings) was ordered to pay a £585 million fine back in November 2023 as a result of those dealings. At the time, Barry Gibson, the chair of Entain, acknowledged a legacy issue. He said: “This matter concerns a business which was sold by a former management team six years ago. The group has changed immeasurably since these events took place. We are committed to continuing our journey towards operating only in regulated markets, and are now widely recognised as a best-in-class, responsible operator with the highest levels of corporate governance across all aspects of our business.”
References:
- iGaming Business: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/british-jail-sentence-illegal-whatsapp-gambling/
- Gambling Commission: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/print/illegal-online-gambling-challenges-of-estimating-the-size-of-the-illegal
- UKGC: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news/article/illegal-whatsapp-bookie-sentenced
- Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/dec/09/former-entain-bosses-case-gambling-commission-888-bid
- Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/24/ladbrokes-and-coral-owner-to-pay-585m-to-settle-hmrc-bribery-inquiry
