Questions Asked On Park Lane Club License

After recently reporting on the license revocation by the UK Gambling Commission on The Park Lane Club in Mayfair London last week a UK newspaper has followed up the story.

The London Evening Standard although somewhat over glamorizing the casino which is located in the Hilton Hotel had some interesting points such as the question on how an owner of a UK casino can remain anonymous and in turn how can you show that owner can prove source of funds used to buy and operate the casino?

It is claimed that the previous owner of the Park Lane Club sold the owning company of the casino in 2018, the previous owner was already under investigation by the UK Gambling Commission because of court action against him in Ukraine for fraud, although he denies all charges brought against him.

The newspaper claims he sold the casino to an unnamed owner and the new owner used a little known law called “Section 790ZG” which allows an owner to not disclose their identity to Companies House if they are “at serious risk of violence or intimidation” due to their business’s activities.

The operating named company of Silverbond has questionable directors listed says the newspaper and what does raise concern is that it took the UK Gambling Commission took two years to decide to revoke the license even thou the regulator had major concerns with the takeover.

It does seem amazing that an unnamed person can own a casino in the UK with the regulations in place for “fit and proper” of a person proof needed.

Calls are certain to be made from politicians to change this rule that any owner of a casino can use a little known rule to hide their identity.