The UK gambling commission is assessing whether a subsidiary of 888 Holdings that sponsors “Championship Clubs” in the UK is providing adequate consumer protections for gamblers.
The commission is focusing on how 888 “ensures social responsibility to its customers”
Those include offering players self-exclusions and “time outs,” where players can block their own play for a set period of time. The rise in self-exclusions at gambling sites in the UK has reportedly lowered revenue for sites such as William Hill.
Online gambling companies in the UK must offer the ability to time-out for 24 hours, one week, one month or up to six weeks, according to Britain’s the Daily Telegraph.
The announcement of the investigation caused a dip in 888’s stock. The company said it was “dedicated to providing players with a responsible as well as enjoyable gaming experience” and the subsidiary would be “proactively engaged” with the Gambling Commission in its review, according to the Telegraph.
The commission has been targeting sites for inadequate consumer protections and levied its first financial penalty for misleading advertising this month when it fined Guernsey-based BGO Entertainment £300,000, according to the Telegraph.
The Gambling Commission said it was unable to comment an ongoing investigation.
