Paddy Power Betfair fined £2m for failing to protect vulnerable gamblers

A damning report reveals how automated systems left customers at risk—while the firm ignored red flags. Will this fine finally force change?

, and Administrator

2025 December 29 . 11:21 AM

1 min read

In this picture there is a bottle of cool drink and RISK word is written at the top of the bottle... — In this picture there is a bottle of cool drink and RISK word is written at the top of the bottle and a posture of the man who is wearing a red shirt and a hat on the bottle.

Paddy Power Betfair fined £2m for failing to protect vulnerable gamblers

Paddy Power Betfair has agreed to pay £2 million after failing to protect customers from serious gambling harm. The penalty comes after a compliance review revealed major shortcomings in responsible gambling practices.

This is the second sanction for the company in just over two years, following a £490,000 fine in 2023 for sending promotional messages to self-excluded customers.

The Gambling Commission found that the firm's customer interactions fell far below required standards. Over-reliance on automated systems meant staff did not step in when clear signs of harm appeared.

In one case, a customer lost £6,000 after staking £86,000 over 16 days before any action was taken. Another spent seven hours placing over 300 bets, totalling £20,000, without intervention. The company also missed warning signs like sudden increases in spending and changes in betting behaviour. The £2 million settlement will be divided among four operators under the Paddy Power and Betfair brands. It follows a 2023 fine for sending push notifications to vulnerable customers who had chosen to self-exclude from gambling.

The penalty highlights repeated failures in customer protection by the firm. The Gambling Commission's assessment showed that automated checks alone were not enough to prevent harm. The company must now improve its safeguards to meet regulatory standards.