Key facts
- Labour's chair Bridget Phillipson has formally requested the UK Gambling Commission investigate Tether.bet and Fispay.
- Both companies are reportedly linked to donors and allies of Reform UK and Nigel Farage.
- Tether.bet, a Montenegro-based firm, is accused of operating without a UK gambling license.
- Fispay, a UK company, is owned by Mowbray Jackson, Reform UK's data protection officer.
- George Cottrell, a known associate of Farage, is linked to Tether.bet.
- Christopher Harborne, who gifted £5m to Farage, is also connected to companies processing payments for Tether.bet.
Labour's chair, Bridget Phillipson, has formally requested that the UK Gambling Commission investigate companies allegedly linked to Reform UK donors and allies of Nigel Farage for operating without the necessary licenses. The call follows reports by The Sunday Times concerning Tether.bet, a Montenegro-based gambling firm, and Fispay, a UK company owned by Reform UK's data protection officer, Mowbray Jackson.
Phillipson's letter to the watchdog specifically asks whether Tether.bet provided remote gambling facilities to UK consumers without a license, and whether Fispay or other UK companies supported such services. The allegations come amid broader scrutiny of Reform UK's finances and donors, including a £5m gift to Nigel Farage from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, which is already being examined by the parliamentary commissioner for standards.
George Cottrell, a long-term associate of Farage, is linked to Tether.bet. While Tether.bet issued a closure notice on its website on August 12, Cottrell's lawyers stated he was merely a customer and has never solicited clients or operated any betting company. Harborne and representatives for IFX, a company that processed payments for a firm taking deposits for Tether.bet, also denied any operational involvement, asserting compliance with regulations.
Phillipson stated that these allegations add to a "mountain of unanswered questions" regarding Reform UK's finances and urged Farage to be more transparent. The ongoing investigations into Farage's financial disclosures, including the gifts from Harborne and Cottrell, could potentially trigger a byelection if a significant suspension from parliament is recommended.