Spribe hit with license suspension in the UK
Summary
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has suspended Spribe’s operating licence after concluding the supplier failed to hold the required licence for hosting gambling services. The regulator says it repeatedly warned Spribe to stop hosting gambling activity without the correct authorisation and expects affected parties to be informed and operations to be halted in line with licence conditions.
Spribe has held a software gaming licence since 2020, but the UKGC’s action suggests that offering hosted game facilities may require a separate remote casino (game host) operating licence. Spribe is known for its crash-game product Aviator, which is listed with major UK operators including BetMGM and PaddyPower. The supplier also holds licences in other jurisdictions (Malta, Gibraltar, Netherlands, Sweden, Ontario) and maintains numerous partnerships. iGaming Expert has contacted Spribe for comment.
Key Points
- UKGC suspended Spribe’s operating licence due to hosting activity without the required licence.
- Regulator issued repeated warnings ordering Spribe to cease hosting gambling services while unlicensed.
- The suspension highlights that a software gaming licence may not cover game-hosting activities; a remote casino (game host) operating licence may be required.
- Spribe’s Aviator game is distributed through major UK operators such as BetMGM and PaddyPower, so operator availability could be affected.
- Spribe holds licences in multiple other jurisdictions (Malta, Gibraltar, Netherlands, Sweden, Ontario), underscoring its broad footprint despite the UK action.
- The UKGC is increasingly targeting the B2B space, signalling greater scrutiny of suppliers that effectively provide hosted gambling facilities.
Context and relevance
This ruling is part of a wider regulatory trend: the UKGC is extending enforcement beyond front-end operators to the vendors and hosts powering games. For operators, platform teams and B2B suppliers, this raises compliance questions about which licences are needed for hosted services and how supplier conduct might disrupt live game inventories. The decision could prompt other suppliers to review their UK-facing hosting arrangements and licence status.
Author style
Punchy: This isn’t just a paperwork gripe — it’s a shot across the bows for the whole B2B supply chain. If you supply, integrate or host games in the UK, the detail matters and could hit revenue and product availability fast.
Why should I read this?
Short and real: regulators are no longer just policing operators. If you work with game suppliers, run an operator platform, or rely on third-party hosted titles (yes, that includes Aviator), this could directly affect what’s allowed on UK sites — and who picks up the cost when games go offline. Read it so you don’t get blindsided.
Source
Source: https://igamingexpert.com/news/spribe-license-suspension/