Online gaming operator SkyBet has been fined £1m for social responsibility failures, according to the Gambling Commission for Great Britain.
The failures related to customers that had self-excluded from gambling. Self-exclusion is a method through which gamblers who think they have a problem can request that an operator refuse them their services.
According to the watchdog, 736 self-excluded customers were able to open and use duplicate accounts to gamble, around 50,000 self-excluded customers received marketing materials by email, mobile text or a push notification within a mobile app, and 36,748 self-excluded customers did not have their account balance funds returned to them on account closure.
The fine "should serve as a warning to all gambling businesses," said Richard Watson, programme director at the Gambling Commission.
“Protecting consumers from gambling-related harm is a priority for us and where we see operators failing in their responsibility to keep their customers safe we will take tough action.
“Skybet reported the issues to us quickly, cooperated with us and has taken this investigation seriously.”
