Leicester Gaming Centres Hit with £150,000 Penalty Over Self-Exclusion Shortfall

The UK Gambling Commission announced that Holland Park Leisure Limited, operator of three Adult Gaming Centres in Leicester, received a £150,000 fine after failing to join a required multi-operator self-exclusion scheme, and the breach continued until the company's licence faced suspension in October 2025.

This action stems directly from a violation of Social Responsibility Code Provision 3.5.6, which requires licensed operators to participate in shared exclusion systems that let players block themselves from multiple venues at once, and the regulator confirmed the penalty along with a mandated third-party audit of the firm's policies, procedures, controls, and staff training.

Details of the Enforcement Decision

Holland Park Leisure Limited runs three locations in Leicester, and the Commission found that the operator had not enrolled in the multi-operator self-exclusion scheme for an extended period, which left the business non-compliant with its licence conditions, while the suspension of the licence in October 2025 finally prompted full participation and triggered the subsequent investigation that led to the fine.

The Commission required the company to commission an independent audit covering every aspect of its responsible gambling framework, and this process must examine how policies are written, how controls are applied on the floor, and how staff receive ongoing training to identify and assist vulnerable players.

How the Self-Exclusion Scheme Works

Multi-operator self-exclusion schemes allow individuals to register once and have their exclusion applied across participating venues, and the system prevents players from accessing gaming facilities at multiple sites even if they attempt to visit different operators, which strengthens protection for those who recognise they need distance from gambling environments.

Under the Social Responsibility Code Provision 3.5.6 every licensed operator must join and maintain active membership in such a scheme, and failure to do so removes a key safeguard that regulators consider essential for minimising harm among those who have already chosen to exclude themselves.

Regulatory Context and Licence Conditions

The UK Gambling Commission oversees all licensed gambling businesses and enforces code provisions that address social responsibility, and when an operator falls short the regulator can impose financial penalties, require remedial audits, or suspend licences until compliance is restored, which happened here when the October 2025 suspension forced the company to address the gap.

Holland Park Leisure Limited must now complete the third-party review and implement any recommendations that emerge, and the Commission retains authority to monitor progress and take further steps if the audit reveals additional weaknesses in the firm's approach to player protection.

Timeline Leading to the Fine

The breach persisted until the licence suspension occurred in October 2025, at which point the operator joined the scheme and the Commission opened its formal investigation, and the resulting enforcement action concluded with the £150,000 penalty and the audit requirement that will be carried out by an approved independent assessor.

Observers note that the case highlights the Commission's focus on consistent application of self-exclusion rules across all licence types, and the regulator continues to review operator records to verify that every business meets the same participation standards.

Next Steps for the Operator

Holland Park Leisure Limited is required to cooperate fully with the audit process and to update its internal training programmes so that staff understand both the scheme's operation and their role in supporting excluded players, and the Commission will review the audit findings before determining whether additional conditions should be attached to the restored licence.

The fine and audit together represent the complete outcome of this particular enforcement case, and no further penalties have been announced at this stage, while the Commission maintains that ongoing compliance checks will continue as part of routine supervision.

Conclusion

The enforcement action against Holland Park Leisure Limited demonstrates how the UK Gambling Commission applies Social Responsibility Code Provision 3.5.6 when operators do not maintain required scheme membership, and the £150,000 penalty plus mandated audit now stand as the documented consequences that followed the October 2025 licence suspension. As oversight continues into August 2026 the regulator's records show this case remains closed provided the company completes the audit and sustains full participation in the multi-operator self-exclusion scheme going forward.