In the UK, 15 individuals have been charged in connection with an investigation into illegal betting on the date of the 2024 early parliamentary elections.
The UK Gambling Commission has accused these individuals, including a former advisor to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and ex-MP Craig Williams, of using insider information to place bets on the election date.
While political betting is legal in the UK, including wagers on the election date, using insider knowledge to profit from such bets is prohibited. Williams has acknowledged placing a £100 bet on a potential election date but denied having advance knowledge of the date.
In response to the allegations, the Conservative Party stated that any of its staff members involved in illegal betting would be “immediately suspended from their duties.”
“Our party is now under new leadership, and we are fully cooperating with the Gambling Commission to ensure a quick and transparent investigation,” a Conservative Party representative told journalists.
The accused individuals are set to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 13, 2025, where they face potential fines or imprisonment for up to two years for breaching the law.
The betting scandal has come to light just weeks before the UK’s early parliamentary elections on July 2, 2024, further damaging the already struggling approval ratings of the Conservative Party, led by Rishi Sunak.
