Labour writes to Gambling Commission over allegations against Reform donors
Rhiannon James, Press Association Parliamentary Editor
The Labour Party has called on the Gambling Commission to investigate alleged unlicensed activity linked to Reform UK donors.
Tether.bet, a Montenegro-based gambling firm which is owned by cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne, has been operating without a Gambling Commission licence, according to the Sunday Times.
Mr Harborne has been at the centre of controversy surrounding Mr Farage, after his £5 million donation to the Reform UK leader led to an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
Convicted fraudster George Cottrell, a long-term ally of Mr Farage, is also linked to Tether.bet, which issued a closure notice on its website on August 12.
The platform asked customers to deposit bets and receive winnings via Fispay, a UK-registered financial intermediary company owned by Reform’s data protection officer Mowbray Jackson, the Sunday Times reported.
Fispay was also operating without a Gambling Commission licence, according to the newspaper.
It is an offence to provide gambling facilities without a licence in the UK under the Gambling Act 2005.
Labour said the reports raise further questions about those surrounding Mr Farage and the financial interests of Reform’s donors.
Commissioner Daniel Greenberg is investigating whether Mr Farage should have declared a £5 million donation from Mr Harborne, which he received before taking his seat in the House of Commons following the 2024 general election.
New MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.
Mr Farage has also faced intense media scrutiny, and a possible parliamentary investigation over support provided by Mr Cottrell.
Labour chairwoman Bridget Phillipson has written to the Gambling Commission to investigate the alleged activity of both companies.
Ms Phillipson, who is also an equalities minister, said: “These are the latest allegations in a mountain of unanswered questions concerning Reform’s donors and finances.
“Nigel Farage cannot dodge them forever.
“He needs to stop making excuses and come clean with the public.”
Mr Jackson told the Sunday Times his company “exclusively” brokered private jet travel and it had never provided facilities for gambling.
Mr Cottrell said he was a customer of Tether.bet and he has “never solicited clients for any betting company”.
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What does it say about Reform when even their data protection officer is up to his neck in sleaze?
So was farage paid 5 million as a gift, security, brexit reward, to buy a house, to buy a car or to ask questions and increase crypto use by British government?