The U.K. Gambling Commission plans to investigate operator Sky Bet over claims the company offered free spins to self-excluded customers.
Commissioners received information on social media from self-excluded players. Customers who asked not to receive marketing materials from Sky Bet also got an email with the free-spin promotion.
“We’ve been made aware by members of the public that Sky Bet has sent promotional emails to self-excluded customers yesterday,” the UKGC said in a statement. We do not expect this of our operators, and we will be looking into how this has happened.”
Conor Grant, CEO of Sky Bet owner Flutter U.K. and Ireland, apologized for the misstep.
“I recognize that on this occasion we have let many people down, and for that I am truly sorry. I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to get to the bottom of how this happened. We are conducting a full investigation.”
Safer gambling is the top priority for Flutter, Grant said. “All our brands take their responsibility to protect customers extremely seriously. Safer gambling is our number one focus, and while we haven’t always got everything right, we are determined to do as much as we can to protect those who may be at risk.”
Flutter has taken steps to improve its responsible betting initiatives by lowering its net deposit limits for bettors under the age of 25 to £500 (US$670) per month.
