Bookmakers hit with hefty fines for underage betting at Royal Ascot
Affected on-course layers argue UKGC punishments are disproportionate to the offence
Seven bookmakers have been fined what amounts to 2.5% of their gross annual profits for accepting bets from an underage racegoer, according to The Guardian.
The bookmakers were identified by investigators during enforcement action undertaken at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting last June, when each of them accepted a £5 bet from a 16-year-old.
The names of the bookmakers who have received penalties from the UK Gambling Commission have not been revealed, however the affected firms have until the end of this week to appeal to the regulator for a more lenient punishment.
Robin Grossmith, director of the Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers, told The Guardian the decision was “absolutely horrendous” and that one bookmaker was staring down the barrel at a fine of £7,600 for accepting a £5 bet.
“Are you going to fine William Hill 2.5% of gross?” he said to racing journalist Chris Cook. “That would be tens of millions of pounds.”
News of the sanctions was a hot topic among betting and racing aficionados on Twitter last night, with Colossus Bets CEO Bernard Marantelli tweeting how the decision was “complete madness”.
https://twitter.com/BernardColossus/status/1221861068475191298
Meanwhile, the former MD of Totepool, Jason Brautigam, suggested the UKGC had gone after an easy target and that the fines were “totally disproportionate”.
Gambling Commission going after the easy target here, when they should be focusing on the dodgy practices of off-course firms. Fines completely disproportionate but also underage drinking surely far more of a problem at racecourses than gambling? https://t.co/CkqJV15yUq
— Jason Brautigam (@DizzyJB) January 28, 2020
When the UKGC first announced a licence review back in July into the seven affected bookmarkers, it was revealed a total of 17 on-course layers had been approached in the age verification test.
The operation involved officers from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, supported by the UKGC and Trading Standards.
The UKGC did not comment on the fines after being approached by EGR.