Majority plead not guilty in widening UK election betting scandal
The UK’s election betting scandal entered a pivotal phase on Friday, 13 June, as 15 defendants with close ties to the Conservative Party appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with criminal offences under the Gambling Act 2005.
At the centre of the election betting scandal is Craig Williams, former MP for Montgomeryshire and parliamentary private secretary to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Prosecutors claim Williams placed a £100 wager on a July 2024 election just days before the official announcement and that he passed on insider knowledge to others. If proven, such conduct falls under Section 42 of the Gambling Act, which criminalises cheating at gambling.
Twelve of the accused entered not-guilty pleas, including senior Conservative campaign figures Anthony Lee and Laura Saunders, ex-data chief Nick Mason, and former Senedd member Russell George. Williams, along with Jeremy Hunt, a former police officer, and Jacob Wilmer, a former special adviser, gave no indication of a plea.
According to the UK Gambling Commission, the 15 individuals face charges under Section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005, relating to allegations of using insider knowledge “to gain an unfair advantage in betting markets.” Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged all 15 defendants, and the case now heads to the Crown Court for a full trial. SiGMA News reported on the formal charges brought by the UK Gambling Commission in April.
Operation Scott: How the investigation unfolded
Betting operators flagged unusual wagers on a July election, a date not publicly anticipated, prompting the Commission to launch its investigation, codenamed Operation Scott, in June 2024. As reported by SiGMA News at the time, the Gambling Commission launched its investigation after suspicious activity flagged by betting operators suggested the potential misuse of insider knowledge. Sunak’s decision to go to the polls on 4 July caught even his cabinet off guard, raising suspicion that only a select few were aware of the plan in advance.
Williams publicly admitted to placing a bet but initially described it as a “flutter” and a lapse in judgment. However, investigators believe a wider group of party insiders may have used confidential knowledge from Downing Street or CCHQ discussions to make coordinated or opportunistic bets on the election’s timing.
This phase of the election betting scandal has exposed the vulnerabilities in how political information can leak into regulated markets.
What the law says
Under Section 42, it is a criminal offence to cheat at gambling, including by exploiting information not available to the general public. Several defendants, including Williams, Lee, and Anthony Hind, a former deputy digital director, face additional charges of assisting others to cheat, extending liability beyond the individual bets placed.
If convicted, the accused could face up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine. Prosecutor Sam Stein KC, representing the UKGC, confirmed that evidence would focus on communication trails, betting records, and access to confidential campaign planning.
Wider political fallout
The election betting scandal has already dealt a reputational blow to the Conservative Party, which suffered a crushing defeat in the 2024 election. A separate Metropolitan Police inquiry into related allegations involving police officers was closed in August 2024 without charges, but the Commission retained the right to pursue prosecutions independently.
Former PM Rishi Sunak, who is not accused of wrongdoing, has provided a witness statement. He said that he proposed a second-half 2024 election, but he didn’t give a firm date to MPs or party staff before the public announcement.
The affair has tested public confidence in the integrity of politicians and the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement. When political insiders cash in on government secrets, even with pocket-change bets, they reignite the firestorm over restricting or tightening political betting markets.
Next steps in the high-profile election betting scandal case
All 15 defendants are scheduled to reappear at Southwark Crown Court on 11 July 2025 at 10 am. The Crown Court will determine the next steps in what is shaping up to be one of the most high-profile legal tests of gambling law in recent UK history.
is no longer investigating a handful of rogue bets. It’s testing the limits of political integrity in a regulated market. When corridors of power become corridors of profit, even small bets cast long shadows. And now, the roulette wheel of justice is spinning, and no one at the table should be immune.
