UK Gambling Industry in the News — Weekly Round-up for October 19, 2018

By Brian Cullingworth, Last updated Oct 19, 2018

GambleAware Endorses Gamban

Gambling app and website blocking software

UK problem gambling organisation GambleAware has endorsed gambling app and website blocking software, Gamban, making the package available free of charge to clients on its national gambling treatment services.

“The decision was made with the understanding that by reducing cost limitations for individuals it would encourage more people who are at risk to use the app if they needed it,” a press statement reads.

The endorsement follows a comparison of both the technical and therapeutic benefits of three specialist gambling solutions and three other general products, the organisation said.

Jack Symons, CEO of Gamban® said: “Significant investment and dedication in the development of our software has got us to the point where we’re now world-leading in gambling blocking. We’re delighted that this has been recognised by GambleAware, who will provide Gamban® for free to those whose treatment they fund.”

UK Gambling Commission Imposes Another Penalty

This time it’s an independent bookie in trouble for failing to act on a potential problem gambling case

Independent UK bookmaker Mark Jarvis in Leicester is the latest target of the UK Gambling Commission, and has been handed a GBP 94,000 penalty for failing to interact with a punter who displayed signs of problem gambling.

The Commission found that over a protracted period the bookmaker did not implement and follow adequate social responsibility measures regarding the punter, who is alleged to have spent GBP 34,000 on B2 gaming machines, GBP 11,200 of which had been stolen from his employer.

The Commission ruling requires the bookmaker to review and revamp its responsible gaming processes and measures and better train staff to identify and act on customer interaction codes designed to flaf indicators of problem gambling.

Gambling Commission executive director Richard Watson observed in announcing the penalty:

“This case is a clear example of why gambling operators must have and implement effective social responsibility policies and procedures. All operators, regardless of size, need to ensure they really know their customers”.

Paddy Power Betfair Hit With Gbp 2.2 Mill Penalty By Gaming Commission

Responsible gambling failing allowed one punter to blow large amounts stolen from a charity

In responsible gambling cases dating back to 2016 Paddy Power Betfair has been ordered by the UK Gambling Commission to pay a GBP 2.2 million penalty over failings which included allowing a punter to gamble away large sums stolen from a charity.

Sky News reported Tuesday that an investigation by the Gambling Commission found that the bookmaker fell short on interacting with customers who showed signs of problem gambling and on carrying out anti-money laundering checks.

The case centred on the behaviour of five customers in 2016, including one using the Betfair online exchange who had stolen “a significant amount of money” from his employer, a charity.

Another punter using Betfair had also been using stolen money while the regulator identified weaknesses in “source of wealth and social responsibility checks” for three online and betting shop customers of Paddy Power Betfair.

The company is to pay out GBP 500,000 it received from the gamblers and GBP 1.7 million towards the Commission’s work on its responsible gambling strategy.

These amounts include money being returned to the charity from which it had been stolen by one of the punters.

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