UK-listed gambling operator Gala Coral Group has been forced to return nearly £850k after displaying “serious historical weaknesses” in its anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility controls.

On Wednesday, the UK Gambling Commission published a report on its investigation of the activities of a high-volume bettor who patronized Gala Coral businesses Coral Racing and Coral Interactive. Police say the punter in question funded his wagers with £800k stolen from the bank account of a “vulnerable adult.”

The punter/thief – currently serving three years in prison – was a Coral retail customer since 2012 and had wagered online with the company between January 2014 and January 2015. Gala Coral’s online and retail VIP teams reportedly were under the impression that the punter was an electrician who came from a wealthy family.

However, Gala Coral staffers arrived at this conclusion primarily by taking the customer at his word, as well as via interactions with the punter’s friends and family members at a couple of hospitality events to which Gala Coral invited the wagering whale.