A report commissioned by Flutter UK and Ireland (UKI) on the UK black market has found unlicensed sites are not performing KYC checks, allowing investigators posing as children and criminals to sign up, deposit and play.
The report was undertaken by government adviser and counter-fraud professional Alex Wood on behalf of the Paddy Power and Sky Bet parent company during August.
Wood’s findings cemented and evidenced several of the industry’s concerns around the growth of the UK black market, as he explored multiple illegal platforms accessed via social media, Google or app stores.
Wood was able to access the sites without requiring a VPN and able to deposit funds via a Revolut account.
The illegal sites in question advertised themselves as ‘not on GAMSTOP’, positioning the platforms as accessible to those who have previously self-excluded.
Former established high-ranking websites unrelated to the gambling industry, including those for Clinton Cards and the Brexit Party, have been hijacked and transformed into ‘not on GAMSTOP’ affiliate pages, as EGR previously reported.
On the KYC front, Wood was able to sign-up to several sites using false identities, including as 213-year-old Charles Dickens. Wood then proceeded to deposit and bet under these fake identities.
Additionally, the co-host of BBC Radio 4’s Scam Secrets series set up a second account under the name of Bo Peep, entering a date of birth of 31 August 2018 – making her seven years old.
He was then, once again, able to deposit and place a bet via the account.
In another example, Wood signed up for a site using the identity of one of the FBI’s most wanted terrorists, Sajid Mir.
The 52-page report included recommendations from Wood on how to push back against black market operators, including a UK government-led national awareness campaign, banning orders against black market sites and payment services providers being hampered.
A Flutter UKI spokesperson said: “People seem to think putting up tax on business is a free hit – it’s not. This report shows that higher taxes will be a jackpot for the black market.”
The Wood report comes after the Gambling Commission unveiled its new Illegal Gambling Hub to concentrate its efforts on disrupting the unlicensed arena.
The regulator also published the first in a four-part series on its black market findings, with CEO Andrew Rhodes slamming the sector as “unsafe, unfair and criminal”.
The post UK black market report reveals “serious” KYC and responsible gambling concerns first appeared on EGR Intel.
Flutter-commissioned study laments ease of access to black market sites and calls on authorities to ramp up consumer protections and regulatory action against bad actors
The post UK black market report reveals “serious” KYC and responsible gambling concerns first appeared on EGR Intel.