In an announcement posted on its website on March 9, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) informed the gambling community that it fined the betting operator SkyVegas for breaching the responsible gambling regulations established on the territory of the UK. The operator has to pay £1.2 million for sending free spins offer to people who are currently recovering from gambling addiction and who have opted out of receiving such promotional emails. What's more, the operator sent out the offer during the Safer Gambling Week.
SkyVegas sent out the “Bet £5, get 100 free spins” offer to more than 40,000 customers who suffered from gambling addiction. As many as 249, 159 customers who have unsubscribed from the SkyVegas newsletter also received the promotional offer. “Simply opt in, spend £5 and claim your 100 free spins” the email reads.
Andrew Rhodes the UKGC CEO elaborated: “We would advise all operators to learn from Sky Betting & Gaming’s costly errors and ensure their systems are robust enough to always prevent the self-excluded, and those who have clearly rejected marketing, from receiving promotional material.”
The fine comes in a difficult time for the local gambling industry. The UK authorities seem to be taking the responsible gambling matters even more seriously now with the approaching legislation amendments. The Commission has recently imposed fines on 888 and BetVictor for similar violations.
The gambling law overhaul, expected in May 2022, is going to introduce stake limits and affordability checks. Some operators such as Novibet and Mansionbet have already ceased UK operations, while others are hoping to adapt to the upcoming changes and resist the expected revenue drop.
