BlueBet has faced regulatory action in Australia and specifically from the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC), which has fined the operator over its failure to meet certain responsibility standards. The incident dates back to 2021.
BlueBet fined over single VIP customer
According to the watchdog, BlueBet allowed a single punter to spend a prolonged period gambling without a break, spending AU$40,000 and 11 hours gambling in the process in one instance.
However, several months into the customer's activity on the website, they had spent AU$700,000, losing a significant part of this amount.
In doing so, the operator failed to meet consumer protection standards, which are a prerequisite for running gambling activities in the state.
The regulator described the incident as "unacceptable" and "extremely concerning," mounting a serious financial penalty against the company as a result. BlueBet would have to foot a steep AU$53,000 fine. The operator will also have to return AU$522,020 to the customer.
BlueBet has denied the regulator's allegations that it had failed to intervene and act appropriately.
Another exacerbating condition, according to the NTRWC, was the fact that the customer had communicated with the operator and informed the company that they had run out of money to gamble with. As a result, BlueBet’s VIP manager offered to extend additional wagers to the person and keep them playing.
The regulator said that the operator was interested in keeping its profitable customers playing over its commitment to responsible gambling, and concluded:
"Instead of monitoring the situation and engaging in meaningful, responsible gambling actions, BlueBet chose to award the complainant VIP status and assign a dedicated VIP account manager, whose commission was tied to the complainant’s net gambling revenue."
This is not the only sportsbook to have been fined recently in Australia. In Victoria, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commissionhas issued a similar fine against QuestBet, over its failure to intervene in the case of a single punter for several months.
No attempt to communicate concern or meet RG standards
The fine, though, was larger – AU$80,000, and the regulator argued that the player in question suffered from "identifiable" signs of gambling-related harm.
In the BlueBet case, the regulator found no attempt or communication on the part of the VIP manager to express concerns over the person’s gambling habits, which was another deciding factor for the regulator.
"BlueBet missed multiple opportunities for timely and appropriate action, and it’s disappointing that the responsibility fell on the complainant rather than BlueBet taking a more assertive role in protecting the complainant from further harm," the regulator wrapped up.
