Entain Group Pty Ltd, the parent company of Australian sportsbooks Ladbrokes and Neds, has entered into a court-enforceable undertaking after an Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found more than 500 breaches of national self-exclusion rules, the regulator has revealed.
The ACMA said it found that Entain opened accounts for and provided wagering services to people registered with BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register – and failed to close wagering accounts for self-excluded customers. Under the rules, once an individual registers with BetStop, wagering providers must close that person’s account as soon as practicable.
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said many of the contraventions related to customers holding multiple accounts across the Ladbrokes and Neds services.
“When someone signs up to BetStop, wagering companies must close all of that person’s accounts held within their services,” Lidgerwood said. “In this case, Entain’s systems did not adequately identify and link all wagering accounts held by those customers across its services, including one account that remained open for more than a year after the customer had self-excluded.”
The investigation also found some breaches occurred when new accounts were opened for individuals who were registered with BetStop.
“When people register for self-exclusion there should be no way for them to open new accounts for licensed wagering services in Australia,” Lidgerwood added.
The investigation also found Entain failed to adequately promote BetStop in customer texts and emails as required under the rules.
The ACMA said it has accepted a comprehensive 18-month court-enforceable undertaking from Entain, committing the company to an independent review of its compliance systems and processes and the implementation of any recommended improvements.
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