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Ken Howell's Sports Betting Licence Suspended Over AML Failings
The UK Gambling Commission has suspended Targetlocal's remote licence over AML failings, while customers retain account access and withdrawal rights.
The UK Gambling Commission has suspended the combined remote operating licence of Targetlocal Ltd, which trades as Ken Howell's Sports Betting, after regulatory enquiries identified anti-money-laundering failings at the operator.
The Commission announced the suspension on 21 September 2026. It affects the company's remote permissions covering online casino, general betting on real events and virtual event betting.
Targetlocal's non-remote general betting standard licence remains active. That licence covers its retail betting operation in Ammanford, Wales.
The regulator has said that customers can continue to access their accounts and withdraw funds while the suspension is in place. The action is connected to a regulatory review under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005, and no financial penalty has been announced.
UK Gambling Commission Suspends Targetlocal's Remote Licence
Targetlocal Ltd holds Gambling Commission account number 422 and trades as Ken Howell's Sports Betting through kenhowells.com.
The Commission's action affects the company's combined remote operating licence, covering casino games, general betting on real events and virtual event betting offered online.
According to the Gambling Commission, its enquiries identified anti-money-laundering failings at Targetlocal. The regulator is reviewing the licence under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005.
The suspension is a regulatory measure connected to that review. It should not be described as a licence revocation or as a permanent closure of the business.
The Commission has not announced a financial penalty in connection with the suspension.
What the Suspension Means for Customers
The Gambling Commission has specifically addressed the position of customers during the suspension. Its announcement says the action does not prevent consumers from accessing their accounts or withdrawing funds.
The regulator has also said that Targetlocal is expected to treat consumers fairly during the suspension and keep them informed about developments that affect them.
This means the suspension does not, based on the Commission's published information, prevent customers from accessing their existing accounts or requesting withdrawals.
The available information does not establish how individual matters such as pending bets, settlement arrangements or particular account disputes are being handled. Customers with account-specific questions should therefore contact the operator directly.
AML Failings Have Not Been Detailed
The Commission has said that its enquiries identified anti-money-laundering failings at Targetlocal. However, the regulator has not publicly detailed the specific AML controls that it considers deficient in the information currently available.
That distinction is important when describing the case.
An AML compliance failing can concern shortcomings in the systems, policies, procedures or controls that a licensed gambling operator is expected to maintain to prevent and detect financial crime. The available evidence in this case does not establish that money laundering actually took place through Ken Howell's Sports Betting.
There is also no evidence in the material reviewed for this article establishing that Targetlocal or its customers engaged in money laundering.
Until the Commission publishes further information, the precise nature and extent of the identified AML shortcomings remain unclear.
Accordingly, the regulatory action should be described as an AML compliance matter, rather than as a finding that the operator laundered money.
Retail Betting Operation Remains Licensed
The current action concerns Targetlocal's remote licence.
The company's non-remote general betting standard licence remains active on the Gambling Commission's public register. That licence covers its physical betting operation in Ammanford.
The distinction between the two licence types is important. The suspension concerns Targetlocal's remote licensed activities and should not be described as a complete shutdown of Ken Howell's Sports Betting.
The available licence information therefore shows two separate regulatory positions: the company's remote permissions are suspended, while its non-remote general betting standard permission remains active.
Regulatory Review Under the Gambling Act 2005
The Commission's action is connected to a review under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005.
The review process allows the regulator to examine whether a licensed operator continues to meet the requirements associated with its licence. The suspension is a temporary regulatory measure while the review takes place and is distinct from licence revocation or a financial penalty.
No timetable for completion of the review has been announced in the available information.
The Commission has also not announced what final regulatory outcome will follow. The available evidence therefore does not support predicting whether the remote licence will ultimately be restored, surrendered, varied or revoked.
Recent UK Gambling Enforcement Context
Targetlocal's suspension follows regulatory action against two other UK operators, BresBet Ltd and Bet St George Ltd, whose remote licences were suspended in August 2026 over AML shortcomings.
Those cases provide context for the latest action, but they do not determine the outcome of Targetlocal's review. Each licence case involves its own circumstances and regulatory assessment.
The latest suspension also comes during a period of broader attention on compliance issues affecting gambling operators in Great Britain.
Level.casino recently reported on data-protection compliance concerns involving UK-licensed gambling sites, while the sector is also facing wider scrutiny of gambling advertising and regulation in Great Britain.
These developments cover different regulatory obligations and should not be treated as evidence that the cases are directly connected. They do, however, form part of the wider compliance environment in which licensed gambling businesses are operating.
The action also comes as Britain's gambling market continues to generate significant economic activity, making regulatory compliance an increasingly important part of the operating environment for licensed businesses.
What Happens Next?
The Gambling Commission's review of Targetlocal's remote licence remains ongoing, and no final outcome has been announced.
No timetable for a decision has been made public. The Commission has also not published further detail explaining which specific AML controls were deficient.
The next significant development will therefore be any additional information released by the regulator as its review progresses.
For customers, the Commission has confirmed that account access and withdrawals remain available during the suspension. For the operator, the regulatory review will determine what further action, if any, is taken in relation to its remote licence.
No substantive public response from Targetlocal Ltd or Ken Howell's Sports Betting was identified in the sources reviewed for this article.
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