Tabcorp penalized after UK Gambling Commission investigation

[The Buzz]

After being subject to an investigation by the Commission, the betting firm has had its license to offer gambling in Britain "reviewed" after allegations it failed to properly manage the risks associated with offering "novelty" bets. As part of the penalty package, Tabcorp UK is to have new conditions attached to its gambling license and pay £84,000 to socially responsible causes.

The Commission found weaknesses in Tabcorp UK’s systems and controls which meant that:

• 118 self-excluded customers were able to open duplicate accounts and gamble, in breach of Social Responsibility Code 3.5.3(1) & (6) (self-exclusion)
• two novelty markets were offered around which the risks had not been effectively assessed – the result of one was dependent on an individual committing a criminal offence, and the other on an individual breaching a sports governing body’s rules
• a marketing event took place where the risk of offering non remote gambling, for which they do not hold a licence, had not been managed.

Richard Watson, Gambling Commission program director, said:

"Vulnerable customers were able to gamble with Tabcorp UK, despite choosing to self-exclude. This is not acceptable. Gambling firms must ensure the systems they have in place are protecting their customers effectively.”

He added: “Novelty betting markets, such as the market Tabcorp UK offered on last year’s FA Cup tie between Sutton United v Arsenal, may seem like a bit of fun but the consequences were serious – with the potential to encourage someone to commit a criminal act or breach a sports governing bodies’ rules.”

The Commission also made some suggestions to operators looking to "avoid making the same mistakes as Tabcorp UK"

Operators should consider the following questions:

• How many details would a self-excluded customer have to change to be prevented from opening a duplicate account? Is your online registration system sufficiently robust?
• Do you perform holistic reviews of the business and make use of all information available to you, including complaints, to identify potential weaknesses? Do your customer contact arrangements identify potential failings in your systems, so as to enable prompt investigation and remedy?
• Are you considering the risks when offering a novelty market? Do you have a robust process in place to risk assess and manage novelty betting markets before they are offered? Does this process take into account:
• whether the market may induce a breach of the rules of a sports governing body
• whether the market may induce a criminal offence
• the impact of the market on any individuals who have a pivotal role in facilitating the outcome of that market
• risks to betting integrity?
• Would you have complied with requirements to self-report these events to us in time?

Read more here: http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk...adingasSunBets

[Cash Bonus]

This is nothing new. There are many big companies being heavily penalized all the time because of a variety of company breaches.