The UK Gambling Commission, after an investigation, determined that four remote gambling entities under Paddy Power Betfair had repeated breaches of social responsibility, ultimately reaching a £2 million regulatory settlement. This is the second enforcement action the operator has faced in the UK within two years, with details of the compliance case available on the PASA official website.
Focus of Violation: Failure to Intervene in High-Risk Betting Behavior in a Timely Manner
This is no small issue! The investigation revealed that the operator's risk monitoring system was severely lacking in sensitivity, with several instances of high-risk betting behavior going completely unnoticed. One player deposited £12,000 within 15 days, £25,000 within 25 days, and another lost £12,300 within five weeks, none of which triggered a timely manual review. More alarmingly, one player bet £86,000 within 16 days, losing £6,000, and another made over 300 bets totaling £20,000 in just 7 hours and 46 minutes, only receiving attention after reaching a loss threshold, which is indeed worrying.
Regulatory Statement: Strict Punishment for Negligence, Emphasis on Real-Time Intervention
John Pierce, the Enforcement Director of the UK Gambling Commission, clearly stated that the £2 million settlement highlights the severity of the violations, and operators must implement effective harm prevention measures. The regulator pointed out that the core issue was an over-reliance on automated tools, with many risk signals only identified after betting had ended, or even the next day, significantly weakening protection effectiveness. The Commission also warned the entire industry to learn from these lessons, or face even stricter enforcement actions.
Operator Response: Upgrading Safety Platforms, Commitment to Not Repeat Mistakes
Flutter Entertainment (parent company of Paddy Power Betfair) acknowledged the violations and accepted the settlement, emphasizing that player safety is a top priority. The company stated that it has significantly upgraded its control measures and launched a new generation of customer safety platforms, with most checks now being real-time, ensuring similar issues do not recur. It is worth mentioning that the operator was fined £490,000 in 2023 for marketing to self-excluded and other vulnerable consumers, paying the price for compliance negligence once again.
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