Home / Business and Economy / Paddy Power Betfair Pays £2M Over Player Safety Failures
Paddy Power Betfair Pays £2M Over Player Safety Failures
17 Dec
Summary
- Operators fined £2 million for failing to protect customers.
- Customer deposited £25,000 over 25 days without intervention.
- Failures included over-reliance on automation and late intervention.
The Gambling Commission has secured a £2 million settlement from four operators trading as Paddy Power and Betfair, including PPB Entertainment and Betfair Casino. This significant payment reflects serious failings in customer protection identified during an investigation. These shortcomings included an over-reliance on automated systems and a critical failure to intervene when clear indicators of potential harm were present, exposing consumers to unnecessary risks.
During the investigation, it was noted that one customer deposited £25,000 over a 25-day period without any proactive interaction from the operators. The Gambling Commission's director of enforcement, John Pierce, emphasized that such failings are unacceptable and stressed the importance of operators quickly implementing action plans when serious issues are identified. He noted that while the licensees cooperated fully, early acceptance and response are the minimum expected.
This settlement is the second instance in two years where Paddy Power Betfair has faced regulatory action. In 2023, the company was fined £490,000 for sending promotional messages to customers who had opted out of receiving such communications. A spokesperson for Flutter's UK and Ireland business asserted that customer safety is their top priority and that controls have significantly evolved, with new real-time checks in place.
