After failing to return GBP 269,000 to a customer’s account, a UK man who was running an illegal WhatsApp gambling business received a sentence.

He has received a 30-week suspended prison sentence as well as 200 hours of community service.

40-year-old Haydon Simcock has additionally been instructed to spend 20 hours in rehabilitation.

Simcock also needs to pay compensation in the way of GBP 230,000, as well as pay GBP 60,000 to the Gambling Commission (UKGC) in order to cover the cost of the process.

The amount has been reduced from the victims’ original GBP 240,000 to GBP 230,000.

because GBP 10 thousand had already been sent over.

The victim was continuously assured that his money faced no risk.

Simcock had admitted that between October 13, 2023, and September 14, 2024, he had been allowing people to bet without having an operating license.

Alongside that, he also admitted that in the period between May 26 2023, to March 1, 2024, he promoted unlawful gambling without a licence.

Involvement Revealed

In 2024, an undercover Racing Post reporter found that Simcock was affiliated with The Post Bookmakers, an unlicensed bookmaker.

Simcock had been the illegal bookie’s commercial manager.

His duties consisted of several things, one of which was attempting to persuade people to gamble using WhatsApp.

The setting up of accounts,