The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have launched a probe to scrutinize online gaming sites that are violating promo terms and conditions.
The CMA has recently announced that it will initiate an investigation of potential breaches of consumer laws. These will include terms/conditions violations and misleading promotions. It will also scrutinize the methods that operators are using to block payouts. The UK Gambling Commission (UKG) has urged the CMA to further re-assess after similar concerns have emerged.
CMA and UKG Pushes Consumer Protection Campaign
CMA Senior Director for Consumer Enforcement, Nisha Arora, has mentioned that the CMA has growing concerns of players losing out to online gambling sites. These are issues that gambling operators are making it quite difficult for players to understand the terms or even carry loopholes in their promotions. The CMA is now working hand in hand with the UK Gambling Commission to investigate general issues.
UKG CEO, Sarah Harrison, has also raised issues that these terms and conditions found in gambling websites are creating confusion rather than enticing more players. It’s a simple approach to disorient players and entice them to player to lose. The UKG estimates that around 5.5 million online punters feel that they are drained instead of winning even if they understood that promos will help them win more.
Online Gambling Terms and Conditions to be Screened
CMA’s online gambling probe will scrutinize the level of understanding of customers to operators’ terms and condition is tolerable. It will also investigate if bookies are preventing players from withdrawing stakes and winnings.
Arora says that it also recognizes a betting operator’s right to close a player’s account or cancel or amend bets depending on how odds are appropriately set. The CMA will conduct fair investigations of terms and conditions. It will be requiring evidence from online gambling operators as well as punters to report cases of bookies’ untowards’ behaviour.
Remote Gambling Association Responds to Issues
Remote Gambling Association Chief, Clive Hawkswood has declared that it’s CMA’s role to determine illegal operations of some gambling sites but emphasized that it’s not right that it’s a general concern for the entire industry.
The UK government is implementing rigid regulations regarding gambling. It has recently planned to put a total ban on daytime gambling advertisements. Bookies are already required to pay 10% race betting revenue to stakeholders.
Is the UK government too strict in terms of customer protection? Will these policies affect revenues of gambling operators?
