Labour Party Chair, , has written to the
Gambling Commission asking it to investigate reports by The
Sunday Times concerning alleged unlicensed UK gambling activity
by two companies linked to Reform UK - Tether.bet, an offshore
cryptocurrency betting site, and Fispay Ltd, a UK-registered
financial intermediary company.
The latest allegations raise yet more questions about the people
surrounding and Reform UK, as scrutiny
continues over the financial interests and conduct of those who
have donated to and supported the party.
The Sunday Times reported that, while it was in operation,
Tether.bet, a company linked to both Reform UK donors George
Cottrell and Christopher Harborne, was made available to, and was
promoted among, UK customers despite not holding a Gambling
Commission licence.
The report also claims that UK Tether.bet customers were asked to
deposit bets and receive winnings via Fispay, a UK company run by
Mowbray Jackson, which also does not hold a Gambling Commission
licence.
Phillipson has asked the Gambling Commission to investigate the
alleged unlicenced gambling activity of both Tether.bet and
Fispay Ltd.
The allegations add to the mounting questions around Nigel
Farage's donors and the judgement of those at the centre of
Reform UK.
MP, Chair of the Labour
Party, said:
"These are the latest allegations in a mountain of unanswered
questions concerning Reform's donors and finances. cannot dodge them forever. He
needs to stop making excuses and come clean with the public.
The text of the letter is below:
Sarah Gardner
Acting Chief Executive
Gambling Commission
Via email
Dear Sarah,
I am writing to request the Commission investigate reports by The
Sunday Times concerning alleged unlicensed UK gambling activity
of Tether.bet, an offshore cryptocurrency betting site, and
Fispay Ltd, a financial intermediary company registered in the
UK. The reports link these activities to the personal donors of
MP - Christopher Harborne and
George Cottrell - and Reform UK's data protection officer -
Mowbray Jackson.
Last week, Tether.bet, announced that it had permanently closed,
however while it was in operation, The Sunday Times has reported
that despite not holding a Gambling Commission licence to operate
in the UK, Tether.bet was made available to, and was promoted
among, UK customers.
The Sunday Times claims that while regular customers were blocked
from accessing Tether.bet's site, a VIP client based in the UK,
could access the platform by messaging their account manager. A
referral from an existing client was required in order to qualify
as a private client.
The report details how a member of Tether.bet's private client
team, Milo Lyons, began onboarding a British gambler in 2022.
Lyon's is Montenegro-based and reportedly works with George
Cottrell, a personal donor to and an individual with links
to donations currently being investigated by the Metropolitan
Police.
The investigation goes on to detail how UK VIP clients were then
asked by Tether.bet to deposit bets and receive winnings via
Fispay. Fispay is a UK based company, run by Reform's data
protection officer, Mowbray Jackson, which also does not hold a
Gambling Commission licence. The Sunday Times claims that Fispay
was one of at least two UK companies used to accept deposits and
pay out winnings to Tether.bet customers. Fispay then used a
separate company, IFX Payments, to handle and manage the funds.
IFX Payments is owned by Christopher Harborne, the individual who
gave a £5 gift which is now the
subject of a Parliamentary Standards investigation .
In light of these allegations, I would urge the Commission to
investigate:
- Whether Tether.bet, and its
operators, provided or advertised remote gambling facilities to
consumers in UK without the required licence
- Whether Fispay Ltd, or any other UK
company, provided or supported gambling facilities or services to
consumers in the UK without the required licence.
In view of the public interest in these matters, I am releasing
this letter to the media.
Yours sincerely,
MP
Chair of the Labour Party
