UKGC fines Betfred operator $1.2M over social responsibility

UKGC finds problems during compliance review

The UK Gambling Commission ordered Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited to pay $900,000, or about $1.22 million. The company runs the Betfred.com online casino under a UK license. The payment followed a compliance review of the company's safer gambling rules. Petfre also agreed to pay the cost of the regulator's investigation.

The Commission said some company systems did not spot players who could be at risk. Some warning signs also failed to lead to quick action from staff. These problems raised concerns — especially when players kept spending after showing warning signs. The regulator said fast action is an important part of protecting customers.

Delays reduced customer protection

The Commission also found delays in safer gambling reviews after some accounts were flagged. In several cases, staff took several days to complete the reviews. One case showed why those delays mattered — and why quick action is important. A player received a safer gambling message after passing a deposit limit.

However, no extra action followed that first contact. The player then deposited and lost another $17,900 during the next 24 hours. John Pierce, the Commission's Director of Enforcement, said operators must quickly find and contact players who may be at risk. He said good monitoring systems help protect customers before problems become worse.

Main issues found by the regulator

The review highlighted several key problems:

• Delays after customer accounts were flagged.

• Systems that missed some warning signs.

• Slow responses to players showing possible harm.

• Little follow-up after the first customer contact.

Company makes changes after review

Petfre made changes after the Commission raised its concerns. The company introduced an action plan — added temporary controls — and gave regular progress updates to the regulator. The Commission said the company worked hard to improve its systems. It also said Petfre made important changes to fix the problems found during the review.

Beyond the regulatory action, Betfred Group continued reporting strong business results. For the 78 weeks ending March 30, 2025, turnover reached about $1.46 billion. That was up from $908 million in the previous reporting period. Retail operations brought in $894.8 million, while the online business generated $563.6 million. The group also reported higher profits during the same period.

Nevertheless, the latest penalty follows earlier action against the company. Petfre paid $2.87 million in 2022 for social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures. Subsequently, it paid another $240,000 last year for breaking online slot game rules.