It seems inconceivable that we are on Tweet 93 and haven’t talked about bookmaker restrictions in more detail yet. We have talked about things like Stake Factoring (Tweet 18) but not restrictions. When I first started in the game twenty years ago I was so naïve.
I always believed that finding an edge was enough to be successful. As time transpires, getting bets on is as hard as finding that edge. Account restrictions were a badge of honour back in those days. Nowadays they are betting’s not so dirty secret as restrictions are utterly rife.
The evolution of betting restrictions has been a sight to behold over those twenty years or so. Back in the day you would be sent a nicely typed letter effectively saying your business was no longer welcome. I will never forget tipsters like Colin Davey using it for marketing purposes.
In those days you simply didn’t do things that would antagonise the bookmaker. Things like place filthy each way bets in racing, bet after outcomes were known, arb, etc. If you did that it took quite a bit of effort to get an account closed. One thing that is really important to note at this stage is that we were talking about accounts being closed. Not restricted. As time has evolved we are now in a situation where bookmakers restrict so many accounts it is absurd. If you show even the slightest indication you are not a complete mug then your account will be heavily restricted.
We talked about it when talking about Stake Factoring but in essence they will render your account unusable rather than close it. Part of the reason for this is optics. So when they are asked how many accounts have you closed they can say not very many. Its just semantics.
All the talk about account restrictions is overblown etc. Its not. It’s a huge problem. I have gone through several hundred betting accounts. Nearly all of which have been heavily restricted.. Do I feel bad about this? Not in the slightest.
Bookmakers brought the situation onto themselves with their ridiculous restrictions. What I would say is that it is getting harder and harder to do this now and is something I haven’t got the time or inclination to do anymore. Having said that I noticed a bookmaker i didn’t have an account with last week. Livescorebet. I opened an account. Placed about 3 bets and the account was rendered unusable by the following day. That’s standard operating practice these days. No I didn’t do some of the usual tricks to try and keep an account open.
Its just where this game is at the moment. I have alluded to it before but the media coverage of it over the years, has just been pathetic, as you would expect. These issues were flagged up so many years ago and no one would question it. It didn’t suit their agenda.
Bookmakers were allowed carte blanche to do as they please. Ban anyone who might win and fill their boots with those who lose. I understand why bookmakers would want to do it. It just amazes me that they are allowed to essentially discriminate between customers.
If you offer a price it should make no difference who is taking the price. If you aren’t happy laying that price don’t offer it. It really isn’t tough. They all have systems in place to monitor liabilities, exchange prices. Essentially they are being allowed to do a terrible job and get away with it.
Oh but the bookmaker should be able to pick and choose who they take bets from. Why? Its so naïve to think like that I hear people cry. Its because it was allowed to happen over time, unchallenged and has become the norm and expected practice. It doesn’t make it right.
If you have people behaving poorly then of course you have the right to not do business with them. I am thinking things like bets after known results etc. Since when has someone being successful merited your account being restricted and effectively closed.
It hasn’t. Its just that is the story the bookmakers have been able to sell all and sundry, including the incompetents who deal with licensing. It doesn’t happen in any other industry. The minimum bet liability suggestions would address it somewhat, but still doesn’t go far enough.
The irony being of course that the bean counters who are trying to make the bookmakers more profitable by using all the restrictions, have actually cost themselves absolute fortunes. Very few make this game pay. By restricting accounts so quickly they have missed out on so
much other money that would have been lost to them. It always used to blow my mind that bookmakers didn’t restrict by sport rather than account. The whole situation is a complete shambles and only getting worse. The Gambling Commission should be ashamed of what it has allowed.
ProPunting 