Labour urges gambling watchdog probe Reform donors
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The gist
Labour's Bridget Phillipson urges Gambling Commission to probe Reform-linked firms Tether.bet and Fispay for unlicensed operation.
The probe could deepen scrutiny of Nigel Farage's finances and donations.
Background
The Labour party chair has written to the Gambling Commission asking it to investigate claims that Tether.bet, a Montenegro-based gambling company, and Fispay, a UK company owned by Reform's data protection officer, operated without a licence. This follows a Sunday Times investigation and comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Nigel Farage's financial dealings, including a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
How it unfolded
- recentlyThe Sunday Times published an investigation into links between Reform funders and Tether.bet, reporting that both companies operated without a licence.
- Aug 12, 2026Tether.bet issued a closure notice on its website.
- recentlyBridget Phillipson wrote to the Gambling Commission urging it to investigate Tether.bet and Fispay.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Bridget Phillipson urges the commission to investigate whether these companies provided or supported unlicensed gambling facilities, saying 'Nigel Farage cannot dodge them for ever.'
- Public
- Mowbray Jackson told the Sunday Times his company 'exclusively' brokered private jet travel and never provided gambling facilities.
- Public
- George Cottrell's lawyers said he was a customer of Tether.bet and never invested in or operated any betting company.
Still unverified
The claims that Tether.bet and Fispay operated without a licence are based on a Sunday Times investigation and have not been independently confirmed. Both companies deny the allegations.