Australian bookmaker fined for targeting self-excluded problem gambler

[The Buzz]

Australian bookmaker Betr was fined AU$20,655 (€13,034) by the Northern Territory Racing Commission for targeting a known self-excluding gambler ahead of the Melbourne Cup. The News Corp-backed company was found to have contacted the gambler by phone and text message in early October, shortly after he had joined the Northern Territory’s self-exclusion register.

From ABC News in Australia:

The territory's self-exclusion register allows people around Australia to voluntarily cut themselves off from NT-based betting companies. The self-exclusion period can last months to years, or indefinitely.

Like most major Australian bookmakers, Betr is licensed in the NT and subject to its consumer protection rules. The territory's gambling code of conduct makes clear betting companies must not contact self-excluded people without their consent.

"Commission records indicate that Betr did receive a copy of the full list of self-excluded persons on 5 October 2022 which included Mr M's details," the commission said in its decision.

Betr declined to comment, but according to the NT Racing Commission's decision, it made submissions its sales representatives had sourced Mr M's contact details from "their previous employment".

It said the two representatives did not know Mr M was on the self-exclusion register when they contacted him.

Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-...bler/101800520

And here is a link to the decision from the Northern Territory Racing Commission: https://industry.nt.gov.au/__data/as...bet-nation.pdf

[universal4]

Ok so the excuse is,

the two representatives did not know Mr M was on the self-exclusion register when they contacted him.

And the facts are (if the excuse is honest)

We stole the player email database at the last casino we worked at and spammed the whole list without permission.

Rick
Universal4

[Pokerface]

Ridiculous, the fines should be considerably much higher to discourage others and to ensure practices are in place to prevent this from happening.