UK Online Gambling Operators Probed for Withdrawal Roadblocks
UK watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a probe to determine if online gambling operators are making it too difficult for customers to withdraw their funds.
An unspecified number of betting firms are being reviewed “in respect of practices that may place unfair obstacles in the way of people withdrawing their money (whether as part of a promotion or not).”.
From CalvinAyre.com:
The CMA expressed particular concern with “unreasonably low” daily, weekly or monthly limits on withdrawing funds, “potentially arbitrary short deadlines” for customers to verify their identity when withdrawing funds and potential forfeiture of said funds if customers fail to respond quickly enough, as well as dormancy terms that allow operators to confiscate funds or impose “apparently excessive charges” due to account inactivity.
The CMA says it will provide consumers with regular updates on the progress of its investigation.
The online gambling affiliate sector has come under the radar of UK authorities of late with the CMA cracking down on bonus offers last month while the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) this week warned of "significant issues” with affiliate marketing, flagging 221 of the 902 websites studied for “further action.”
The operation, which involved nine agencies in five countries, didn’t specifically focus on gambling affiliates, but must be acknowledged given that the ICO has previously warned gambling affiliates to lay off the spam, the CA site pointed out.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
