A Manx company has shut down the UK website of the main shirt sponsor for Everton FC following an investigation by the regulator into a video featuring a porn actress.
OnlyFans star Bonnie Blue featured in a video displaying the logo of online casino and sports betting brand Stake, which was filmed outside Nottingham Trent University.
In a social media video, later edited to add the Stake logo, she had talked about having sex with ‘130 barely legal 18-year-olds’ during freshers’ week.
She went on to gain further notoriety by being filmed sleeping with 1,057 men in 12 hours.
Isle of Man-based TGP Europe Limited which operates Stake.uk.com as part of a white label arrangement, said it will be shutting the website from next month.
The move follows the launch of an investigation by the UK Gambling Commission investigation into the Bonnie Blue video.
Final shutdown of the Great Britain site will take place by March 11.
Stake are currently front of shirt sponsor of English Premier League Football Club Everton.
The Gambling Commission says it will be writing to Everton – along with two other football clubs with unlicensed sponsors - warning of the risks of promoting unlawful gambling websites.
It said in a statement: ‘The Commission will seek assurance from the clubs that they have carried out due diligence on their white label partners and that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed sites.
‘Clubs will be asked to demonstrate that they have assurance that any steps to geo-block the sites are effective, recognising that some blocking can be easily by-passed by use of tools such as a Virtual Private Network.
‘Clubs will be expected to carry out sufficient due diligence to assure the Commission that consumers cannot transact with the sites from Great Britain by any means. The Commission will also be taking steps to independently verify effective measures are in place.’
The letter will warn that club officers may be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain.
‘When an operator leaves the British gambling market we expect an orderly closure of its website to consumers in Great Britain and this includes providing consumers with clear information on how to obtain their funds. If a customer has questions concerning their account they should contact the operator via its website,’ the Commission added.