License Revocation

Geelen Antonius Paul

By Dr. Sarah Chen · Fact-checked by Mark Sullivan, Corporate Investigations Editor

The Gambling Commission revoked the Personal Functional Licence of Geelen Antonius Paul on 2 October 2023. This action followed findings that he failed to report a criminal conviction and didn't cooperate with the regulator's investigation.

Geelen Antonius Paul enforcement action
UKGC enforcement action - October 2023

Summary

What This Means for Consumers

This action doesn't directly affect a specific gambling website, as it's against an individual licence holder. It shows the Commission's commitment to ensuring people in key industry roles meet high standards of conduct.

Full Details

The Gambling Commission took its most serious enforcement action against Geelen Antonius Paul on 2 October 2023 by revoking his Personal Functional Licence. A Licence Revocation means the individual can no longer work in the specific roles that require this type of licence within Great Britain's gambling industry. The Commission used its powers under section 119(1) of the Gambling Act 2005 to enforce the decision.

A review by the regulator found that Geelen Antonius Paul breached the conditions of his licence. He didn't notify the Commission about a criminal investigation and a subsequent conviction for a relevant offence (listed under Schedule 7 of the Gambling Act 2005). He also failed to report his resignation from a licensed position after his employer started disciplinary proceedings for gross misconduct.

The Commission also noted that he failed to cooperate with its licence review. A failure to cooperate is a serious matter and contributed to the decision to revoke his licence entirely.

Key Findings

  • Revocation of his Personal Functional Licence on 2 October 2023.
  • Failed to notify the Commission of a criminal conviction under Schedule 7 of the Gambling Act 2005.
  • Didn't report his resignation from a key role following disciplinary proceedings.
  • Found to have failed to cooperate with the Commission's investigation.

Timeline

Enforcement action timeline — Source: UKGC Regulatory Actions Register
Action Date 2 October 2023
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Written by

Research & Data Lead

PhD in Public Policy, London School of Economics. Member of the Royal Statistical Society. Published in the Journal of Gambling Studies and Addiction Research & Theory.

Dr. Chen holds a PhD in Public Policy from the LSE and has 8 years of experience in quantitative research, including 3 years as a Research Fellow at the Responsible Gambling Trust analysing operator self-exclusion data.