Holland Park Leisure fined £150,000 over self-exclusion failures

Holland Park Leisure Limited has been fined £150,000 by the Gambling Commission. This is after failing to participate in a mandatory multi-operator self-exclusion scheme.

The Leicester operator runs three adult gaming centres. It must now also undergo a third-party audit of its policies, controls and staff competency. The regulator said the company only joined the scheme after its licence was suspended in October 2025, despite previously being told of its obligation.

Holland Park Leisure fined after licence review

The Gambling Commission announced the sanction on 18 August, while its public register records a decision date of 31 July 2026. Its licence review found that Holland Park Leisure breached Social Responsibility Code Provision 3.5.6.

The provision applies to adult gaming centre operating licences, as well as most non-remote casino, bingo and betting licences. It requires operators to participate in an available scheme so customers can exclude themselves from the same form of gambling at other licensed premises in their area.

The Commission imposed the £150,000 financial penalty under section 121(1) of the Gambling Act 2005. Holland Park Leisure’s current non-remote adult gaming centre operating licence remains listed as active on the regulator’s public register.

What multi-operator self-exclusion requires

Multi-operator schemes allow a customer to request exclusion from more than one local land-based gambling venue. This is instead of having to contact each business separately. For adult gaming centres, participation is therefore part of the operator’s social responsibility obligations. It is not a voluntary safer gambling measure.

Licensees are also expected to have effective procedures for identifying self-excluded people and preventing them from gambling. Staff must understand how to administer self-exclusion and direct customers towards appropriate support.

John Pierce, the Commission’s director of enforcement and intelligence, said the schemes provide a “crucial service” for people experiencing gambling harm.

“These are not optional requirements. They are fundamental licence conditions designed to protect consumers from harm.” – John Pierce

Pierce warned that operators which fail to meet the requirements can expect regulatory action.

Previous warning treated as aggravating factor

The Commission said officials had already advised Holland Park Leisure that it was non-compliant. However, the operator did not take remedial action at that point. It also supplied misleading information during the regulator’s enquiries.

Those circumstances were treated as a significant aggravating factor when the penalty was determined. The operator did not begin participating in the scheme until the Commission suspended its licence in October 2025.

Officials acknowledged that Holland Park Leisure took action to support future compliance after the licence review began. However, the required third-party audit will look beyond its written policies. It will assess how its procedures and controls have been implemented, together with the training and competency of staff.

Adult gaming centres face broader scrutiny

The enforcement action follows separate government proposals affecting adult gaming centres on British high streets. Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently announced plans to require planning approval for new centres. He hopes to remove the Gambling Act’s “aim to permit” principle for some land-based gambling premises.

The two developments concern different regulatory issues. The proposed reforms focus on where premises may open and the powers available to councils, while the Holland Park Leisure case concerns compliance by an existing licensee.

For other land-based operators, the decision underlines that joining a recognised multi-operator scheme is only the starting point. The Commission expects self-exclusion arrangements to be embedded in day-to-day controls and supported by staff who can apply them effectively.