The Gambling Commission has penalised an online gambling operator for failings relating to misleading advertising and the handling of customers at the end of their self-exclusion period.
Self-exclusion is a tool used by consumers who feel they are having trouble controlling their gambling and request that the operator refuse their service.
During its investigation the Commission found that LeoVegas:
- Was responsible for 41 misleading adverts
- Failed to return funds to 11,205 customers when they chose to self-exclude and close their account
- Sent marketing material to 1,894 people who had previously self-excluded
- Allowed 413 previously self-excluded customers to gamble without speaking to those customers first or applying a 24-hour cooling off period before allowing them to gamble.
Following the Commission’s investigation, LeoVegas is to pay a £600,000 penalty, will divest itself of any funds received as a result of the failings and will pay the Commission’s costs.
“The outcome of this case should leave no one in any doubt that we will be tough with licence holders who mislead consumers or fail to meet the standards we set in our licence conditions and codes of practice,” commented Neil McArthur, the Gambling Commission’s Chief Executive. “We want operators to learn the lessons from our investigations and use those lessons to raise standards.”
Contact Our Online Gambling Solicitors, London
The specialist online casino solicitors at Selachii have years of experience, together with the right contacts and inside industry knowledge, to give clients strategic advice on the legal issues they have in relation to online casinos. Whether you are an online casino operator, a software developer, or a customer with a dispute – we can assist. Contact us today to speak with one of our solicitors.
