The billionaire owners of BetFred – brothers Fred and Peter Done – have faced criticism for making millions on the back of gambling addicts and problem gambling services paid by local taxpayers. The owners of the gambling company also own a company that offers professional counselling and treatment to problem gamblers.
The company, called Health Assured, currently holds contracts estimated to no less than £2.5 million with multiple NHS Trusts and councils. The company provides help and counselling for various problems, including compulsive gambling and depression.
Reportedly, the owners of the counselling agency have taken dividends worth £5.2 million from businesses over the past three years. Health Assured’s clients apparently include a large number of NHS trusts, with the company offering treatment to problem gamblers from the public sector. Also, information on the official website of Health Assured states that staff of the National Health Service could access special counselling for issues like compulsive behaviour that could include gambling or drinking.
After the media reports broke out, a wave of criticism for the two tycoons started. Jon Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, called the fact that the company’s owners offer both gambling services and treatment for gambling addiction an “unacceptable conflict of interest”. Labour MP Angela Eagle shared the opinion, explaining that gambling companies should not be allowed anywhere near the country’s health services.
Thorough Checks of Possible Conflict of Interest Must Be Carried Out by Gambling Authorities
Currently, BetFred is among the largest gambling operators on the territory of the UK. Last year, it generated £728 million.
On the other hand, Health Assured is operated separately from the gambling company as a stand-alone business. In the end, however, both companies are property of the Done brothers, which fuels criticism regarding the possible conflict of interests between the two businesses of the tycoons.
After the criticism faced by the gambling operator and the consulting agency, a spokesman of Health Assured revealed that the public sector contracts of the company had been granted following an in-depth due diligence process.
However, officials of the Government and the NHS commented that any public authority which awards a contract should always carry out thorough due diligence, with the process also including checks for possible conflicts of interest.
This is not the first time when BetFred faces criticism. Previously, the gambling company has been scolded about its attitude towards its staff and problem gambling. In 2019, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) found that the operator had introduced games pretty similar to highly-addictive fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). BetFred faced accusations of trying to circumvent the new rules on the controversial gambling machines after its launch of high-stakes roulette-style games on the same day when the UK Government revealed the long-awaited reduction of the FOBTs’ maximum stakes to £2. At the time, BetFred’s move was seen as an attempt of the company to avoid the stricter regulation of the machines that have largely been criticised for their addictive nature.
- Author
Olivia Cole
