End of an Error...err...Era: Unibet Leaves the US, Few Will Notice
Unibet is leaving the USA market unceremoniously. Well, they leave behind one big fan. That would be our own intrepid reporter Thomas Somach. Gambling911 takes a look at their brief foray in the US sports betting market.
Unibet Tells Customers: Clean Up Your Act!!!
Who can forget when Somach reported on Unibet's Downs at Lehigh Valley facility enforcing its “hygiene policy"?
They put up signs warning customers that if they don’t get the smell out, they can get the hell out.
In order to prevent “unwanted personal hygiene offenses,” the signs read, bettors are required to “bathe” and “use deodorant.”
The signs also asked Unibet customers to “brush teeth” and “wash and comb hair.”
Customers were also required to wear “clean and laundered clothing.”
Keep in mind, this wasn't exactly the Four Seasons.
A Unibet employee was kind enough to explain the new policy to Gambling 911 at the time: “Some smelly people had been coming in to the sportsbook. They had a lot of body odor and bad breath. It was really foul.
“They stank. They smelled like they hadn’t bathed in a week. Or brushed their teeth. Or changed their clothes.
“Other customers were complaining about it. We had to do something. So we posted the signs.”
Unibet Vows Fixes Following Gambling911 Scathing Reports
Prior to announcing their planned departure, Unibet vowed they would improve their US services.
If you thought their "hygiene policy" was obnoxious, imagine logging into your account and getting this message about every few weeks, including during critical game times:
"Site Improvements in Progress: We're stepping up to the plate for major improvements to give you the best player experience possible. We will be back in action soon."
Soon as in days later on some occasions.
Like we said, this happened often. Less frequently in recent months however. We'll give them that.
Unibet Employees Left in Dark About Sportsbook's Impending Closure
Gamblng911.com readers were the first to know, Unibet employees the last. In fact, as of last month, Unibet employees in Pennsylvania at least were unaware the company was exiting the market. Maybe they were too busy enforcing showering policies.
Somach liked the folks here and let them know what was up as management apparently kept them in the dark.
In early December, a sports bettor asked a ticket writer about the impending closure and the writer said he knew nothing about it.
The ticket writer then went into the sportsbook back office to ask the sportsbook director about the news and also to grab his phone and Google news search the keyword Unibet for information about the pull-out.
The ticket writer emerged a few minutes later and told the sports bettor that neither the sportsbook director nor the assistant sportsbook director knew anything about the impending closure, and that he was personally “shocked” at the news.
“Nobody in Unibet management told us anything about this, either before the official announcement was made or after it,” the ticket writer said.
“We were all kept in the dark. I’m shocked to hear this. We all are.”
DOH!
Where Will Somach Hang Out Now?
There are bars, bowling alleys, pool halls throughout the Allentown area, but Thomas loves his casinos. Who can blame him?
Word came last week that Unibet's retail gambling partner, the Mohegan Sun, will begin offering their own proprietary online casino game suite.
Somach reached out to the Mohegan Sun asking about the potential for the casino group to do the same with an online sportsbook and perhaps a retail book. He was yet to hear back as of Saturday.
Somach tells us he'll still be hanging out at the Downs at Lehigh Valley facility even if there isn't a sportsbook. He has vowed to continue texting the heads of Gambling911 all hours of the night with photos of his winning tickets once they finally open a sportsbook. Lucky us!
As far as Unibet goes, they will be missed.....by Thomas Somach at least, probably a few others we're sure.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
