Online betting site Unibet fined €800,000

Unibet Hit with Record Fine for Auto-Exclusion Failures

The French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) has slapped online betting operator SPS Betting (Unibet) with a hefty fine of €800,000. This record penalty comes as a result of repeated failures in Unibet’s self-exclusion system, designed to prevent excessive gambling.

The ANJ’s sanctions committee announced the fine on Monday, citing “repeated malfunctions” in the system intended to help players control their gambling habits. This is the largest fine ever issued by the ANJ.

Self-Exclusion System Flaws

Online gambling sites are required to offer players the option to self-exclude themselves from gambling for up to twelve months as a measure to prevent addictive behaviors. However, the ANJ discovered that “several thousand players who requested self-exclusion, for a duration ranging from several weeks to several months, were likely able to gamble again after only a few days.”

The problem stemmed from issues within the iOS operating system. Self-exclusion requests made in months were automatically converted into days, effectively shortening the exclusion period.

Protecting Vulnerable Players

The ANJ emphasizes that the self-exclusion system is intended for “players who wish to take a break, because they feel vulnerable to gambling or because they need to take a step back.” The authority itself lacks the power to impose sanctions. If operators fail to meet their obligations, the ANJ can refer the matter to the sanctions committee, which can issue fines of up to 5% of the operator’s turnover.