Sky Bet Failed To Protect Vulnerable Customers, Says Watchdog
Sky Bet failed to protect susceptible consumers, states guard dog
Sky Bet is to pay ₤ 1m for "stopping working to protect vulnerable consumers", the Gambling Commission has actually said.
It did not stop issue gamblers even after they had asked to be prohibited from its websites, the watchdog stated.
Sky Bet president Richard Flint stated the firm accepted that it "required to do more" to stop self-excluded bettors from opening replicate accounts.
He added that Sky Bet had attempted to return the cash in their accounts.
People who feel they are having trouble managing their gambling can ask betting firms to refuse their service.
But 736 self-excluded Sky Bet consumers were able to open and use duplicate accounts, the Gambling Commission stated.
In addition, about 50,000 people who had omitted themselves received marketing e-mails, texts or push notices through a mobile app.
And 36,748 clients did not get the balance on their account returned after self-excluding.
Richard Watson, Gambling Commission program director, stated: "This was a severe failure impacting countless possibly susceptible consumers and the ₤ 1m charge bundle must function as a warning to all betting organizations.
"Sky Bet reported the issues to us rapidly, co-operated with us and has taken this examination seriously."
Betting temptation
Matt, a student accountant from London, began gambling as quickly as he turned 18. He states he lost as much as ₤ 30,000.
"It's a 'lad culture' thing," the 22-year-old just recently told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire program.
"You can't go to the pub on a Saturday afternoon without having the football on the TV, and after that certainly there's adverts that begin and you get the urge to bet.
"I couldn't see a video game of football without having a bet on it.
Sky Bet failed to protect susceptible consumers, states guard dog
Sky Bet is to pay ₤ 1m for "stopping working to protect vulnerable consumers", the Gambling Commission has actually said.
It did not stop issue gamblers even after they had asked to be prohibited from its websites, the watchdog stated.
Sky Bet president Richard Flint stated the firm accepted that it "required to do more" to stop self-excluded bettors from opening replicate accounts.
He added that Sky Bet had attempted to return the cash in their accounts.
People who feel they are having trouble managing their gambling can ask betting firms to refuse their service.
But 736 self-excluded Sky Bet consumers were able to open and use duplicate accounts, the Gambling Commission stated.
In addition, about 50,000 people who had omitted themselves received marketing e-mails, texts or push notices through a mobile app.
And 36,748 clients did not get the balance on their account returned after self-excluding.
Richard Watson, Gambling Commission program director, stated: "This was a severe failure impacting countless possibly susceptible consumers and the ₤ 1m charge bundle must function as a warning to all betting organizations.
"Sky Bet reported the issues to us rapidly, co-operated with us and has taken this examination seriously."
Betting temptation
Matt, a student accountant from London, began gambling as quickly as he turned 18. He states he lost as much as ₤ 30,000.
"It's a 'lad culture' thing," the 22-year-old just recently told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire program.
"You can't go to the pub on a Saturday afternoon without having the football on the TV, and after that certainly there's adverts that begin and you get the urge to bet.
"I couldn't see a video game of football without having a bet on it.