Betfair Wants Access to Customer Medical Records

How much is too much when it comes to verifying a customer's identity?  The industry standard for online gambling generally involves a copy of one's driver's license and at least one recent utility bill going to the address on file. 

Now the online betting exchange is recommending the industry takes things a giant step forward.

Betfair recommended that "wagering operators should be given restricted access to identity databases such as Medicare records, motor vehicle registries, passport information and births, deaths and marriages registries for the purposes of verifying the identity of customers in accordance with federal legislative requirements". It said in its submission that "Betfair has a strict requirement that every customer verify his or her identity" and that "every bet placed on Betfair can be tracked to a particular customer".

The submission says the Betfair controls "provides significant advantages in controlling and detecting attempts to launder money or to engage in deceptive conduct and it allows for more effective programs for responsible gambling".

Betfair claims that confidential client information has helped it to assist investigators in regard to alleged criminal activities such as "match fixing". 

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher