The British bookmaker Ladbrokes could face a probe from the local gambling regulatory authority after confidential information about several individuals suffering from gambling addictions, was found in a bin bag outside a company’s branch in Glasgow.
The information included names, photos and addresses of the players suffering from problem gambling behaviour who have used their self-exclusion right in order to suspend themselves from voluntarily placing bets. Details about the reasons why they have chosen to enter the self-exclusion scheme were also included, but fortunately, bank account numbers and betting history details were not present among the documents.
After the documents were found, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has revealed that it was reviewing the bookmaker’s policy in terms of data protection laws compliance. According to the information reported, the documents that included the sensitive information were found by a passer-by outside a Glasgow-based Ladbrokes branch. The UK gambling watchdog is investigating the bookmaker for eventual data protection laws violation.
Most bookmakers currently use the so-called Moses self-exclusion scheme, which is managed by the Senet Group, a responsible-gambling body which was established back in 2014 by four of the largest bookmakers. The self-exclusion program provides all players suffering from problem gambling behaviour to voluntarily ban themselves from betting in casino, sports betting and other gaming venues across the country. The users of the Moses self-exclusion scheme are guaranteed that their personal information is kept safe and is only shared with the bookmakers that participate in the programme, as well as with their group companies and central team administrators.
The UK Gambling Commission, which is currently engaged with the monitoring and control over all gambling activities in the country, shared that the confidential information found outside the Ladbrokes Glasgow branch, needed to be protected adequately even in case that it was meant to be disposed of.
According to a news report, the Executive Director of the UKGC Tim Miller commented on the issue, saying that customers trust that their sensitive information would be collected carefully and would receive the necessary and adequate protection, so gambling operators were expected to comply with the data protection laws and regulations.
Also, according to the same report, Ladbrokes has initiated a special procedure over the entire company to make sure that important and sensitive data is being collected and disposed of properly. A spokesman of the company has commented that the British bookmaker was taking the problem extremely seriously and was to undertake a thorough investigation on the matter.
The company also revealed that such information is collected from its stores and is disposed in a risk-free way through a special procedure. Ladbrokes, however, did not provide any details on how the documents ended up outside its Glasgow branch but the company claims that it took the necessary measures in order to make sure that its branches strictly follow the procedures concerning the disposal of sensitive information.
- Author
Daniel Williams
