The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) dramatically boosted financial penalties against licensees in its most recent fiscal year, while warning operators not to take advantage of consumers during the country’s second pandemic lockdown.

On Friday, the UKGC released its latest Compliance & Enforcement Report, detailing the efforts it took in the 12 months ending March 2020 to ensure its land-based and online licensees stayed on the straight and narrow path, as well as the penalties it imposed when operators chose to colour outside the lines.

The UKGC issued 12 financial penalty packages or regulatory settlements in 2019-20 worth over £30m, a more than 50% hike from the £19.6m collected from regulatory slackers in 2018-19. The UKGC suspended five operating licenses, revoked 11 and commenced reviews of 49 personal management license (PML) holders.

UKGC CEO Neil McArthur said the 2019-20 report showed the regulator wasn’t afraid to “take tough action” against its licensees. McArthur added that the UKGC’s growing focus on “those in boardrooms and senior positions” should leave no doubt that it would “continue to hold people to account for failings they knew, or ought to have known, about.”