15. Account restrictions (2) – I think it would be a reasonable solution that bookmakers can only restrict customers betting accounts if they are showing a profit. I realise the impact this might have on losing accounts and their value but I think the general principle is a fair one. There will be times when an account behaves poorly and they don’t deserve this. If they are behaving normally this feels like something reasonable.
16. Account restrictions (3) – If the stake factor (i.e. restrictions) on an account is changed, a notification is automatically sent to the new Ombudsman. This would give a much better indication as to how many restrictions are actually happening in the industry. It would be incredibly easy to implement and would also be anonymous. The bookmakers are not forthcoming with this data or present the data in a very convoluted way so other measures need to be taken to get a true picture of what is happening.
17. Account restrictions (4) – If your account is restricted you actually have to tell the customer the account has been restricted. Tell them why. At present the only way most people know is because they receive an email saying things like BOG are removed from the account. We need transparency.
18. Withdrawals (1) – The speed of withdrawals currently in the industry is pathetic. Companies receive the money instantaneously. It should not take several days to make payments back to a customer. I have seen instant withdrawals. I can understand why someone like Betfair may need a slight delay to protect themselves if there is an issue with a market. However, this is incredibly rare. It is simply operators profiting at the expense of their customer.
19. Revenue sharing affiliate deals – I have talked about my dislike for these previously. I know it will upset certain individuals who rely on this for their income. Revenue sharing affiliate deals are a scourge on the industry. How can you ever have a situation where you benefit more when one of your customer loses more is beyond me. There are huge conflicts of interest with these deals and the content we see provided in this industry.
20. Winners not welcome – It needs to be made much clearer to customers that winners are not tolerated in the sports betting space. If you win or may look like you will win you will be restricted. We cannot continue to have such lies foisted upon customers. Every advert is about using your skill to win…that’s not welcome in reality.
21. Bookmakers Licenses – Having a bookmakers licence under the watch of the Gambling Commission is supposed to be an honour and something worthwhile. When the Gambling Commission will not suspend or remove licenses for persistent bad behaviour it completely diminishes that value. Until the Gambling Commission is actually willing to stand up to the big corporate bookmakers and not pick on the smaller ones they will continue to be considered not fit for purpose and the licenses nothing more than a money grab.
22. Affordability Checks – Whether we like it or not they are here to stay in some guise. I have always been reluctant to put numbers on these things but will give it a go. I have talked about this at length before and I am very much of the belief you will never stop someone losing everything. You just have to make it harder for them to do so and over a longer timeframe. This would not necessarily be the same for different products. You might adjust it to £50 for casinos or £200 for exchanges. Every product is different. People want clarity though. I think if a customer was allowed to deposit a maximum of £100 into a sportsbook four times a week that is fair. There should be stipulations on that though such as you cannot make two deposits within a 24hr period. If you wanted to deposit more than that then you would need to prove you can afford it. That should come in many different guises. Property, salary or some other reasonable metric. We have to realise that salary isn’t everything particularly when a large number of gamblers will be retired. You would also use that alongside other tools such as length of time spent gambling, time of day, types of interactions they are having. Let’s be really clear here. It is incredibly easy to see if someone is chasing their losses. There are plenty of tools available that if used properly could massively reduce the issues that are being caused. Without impacting on those who enjoy a flutter and can do so in a responsible manner.
23. Conflicts of interest – A much better job needs to be done particularly across Horse Racing when it comes to conflicts of interest. People have to realise there is a significant conflict between Matt Chapman giving out tips, appearing on Racing TV and him having his name being associated with a new bookmaker.
24. Inactivity Fees – With some accounts only being given a 12 month grace period before they are subject to inactivity fees. This really needs rethinking. It is just a money grab. Let’s not pretend that the charges incurred are the actual cost of maintaining these accounts.
25. Paying Out – It has been increasingly clear in recent years that the bookmakers are making it as hard as possible for customers to get their money back whether that be online or in shops. This process has to be a lot more frictionless (Gambling Commission will love their buzzword being used). If you take bets simply pay up and out in a timely manner. The very essence of the whole game. Being abused horribly atm.
26. Black Market – There needs to be far more recognition of the Black Market and the threat it poses to the industry. You cannot just bury your head in the sand like the Gambling Commission is currently doing. Understand why it is growing so quickly and what can be done to arrest that growth. Understand the costs to ignoring that growth and the cost it will have to both customer and operator.
27. Integrity – The Gambling Commission needs to be far more transparent in what they are doing and in particular with the fines that they collect. In an industry awash with underhand behaviour and motives, being so secretive helps no one bar the beneficiaries of those fines. Just be transparent and accountable. After all a fine may just be a cost of business for these companies but it is ultimately the customer paying them.
28. Different types of gambling – There has to be more recognition that there are many different types of gambling and with that come very different risk levels. You simply cannot compare the gambling harm risks associated with say casino games and sports betting. The same applies to all the different types of gambling including the National Lottery. It cannot be one size fits all.
ProPunting 