GC suspends two licences over Gamstop failings

The GB Gambling Commission has suspended two operators’ licences and for failing to fully integrate with the Gamstop national self-exclusion system.

All operators were notified in January that integration with Gamstop was to become a mandatory licence condition from 31 March.

However, two operators, Sportito and Dynamic, trading as Prophet, failed to comply and had their operating licences suspended. The Commission has also launched reviews to determine why each failed to integrate the solution.

Sportito, however, has now integrated Gamstop, meaning its suspension has been lifted. The review into its initial failure to comply will continue, however.

“We have made it clear to operators that we are ready and willing to use our powers to protect consumers, as this action demonstrates,” Gambling Commission chief executive Neil McArthur said.

“Self-exclusion is an important tool to protect vulnerable consumers, which is why we made it compulsory for all online operators to be signed up to Gamstop by 31 March,” McArthur said. “We took action because the operators had not complied by the deadline, which placed vulnerable consumers at risk.”

While Sportito’s suspension has been lifted, Dynamic’s will remain in place until the Commission is satisfied that it has fully integrated Gamstop. This means customers will not be able to gamble via its BetProphet.co site.

Earlier this week Gamstop chief executive Fiona Palmer urged any gambler with concerns about their playing habits to self-exclude for the duration of the lockdown enforced as a result of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

“We are concerned that, at a time when so many people are being forced to stay at home during the coronavirus, vulnerable consumers who may have an issue with their gambling might be tempted to spend money they do not have on online gambling,” Palmer said.

Palmer discussed the roll-out of Gamstop with iGB earlier this month.