Sportsbet fined for sending marketing to self-excluded customers

Sportsbet has been fined $92,500 by the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC) after it mistakenly sent marketing messages to 154 customers who had self-excluded or chosen to take a break from gambling.

The breach occurred due to a human error, which led to SMS messages containing a survey link being sent not only to the intended 747 recipients but also to an unintended group that included vulnerable customers.

Flutter, the global parent company of Sportsbet, acknowledged the mistake and attributed it to a training period oversight. The company said that once the issue was identified, the marketing team halted the SMS campaign on the same day, preventing an additional 48,891 messages from being sent to other unintended recipients.

Despite these remedial actions, the message distribution on October 22, 2024, was acknowledged as a violation of the relevant code of practice. Of the 154 clients affected, 30 were permanently self-excluded, while 124 were on short-term or long-term breaks from betting.

The NTRWC, which had the authority to impose a maximum fine of $185,000, opted for a penalty of 500 points, equating to $92,500. The Commission cited the seriousness of the violation in its ruling.

“In determining the appropriate disciplinary action to take, the commission has taken into account the serious nature of the conduct,” the Commission stated.

“It is imperative that marketing communications are not directed to individuals who have self-excluded or are taking a break from the use of online wagering services, as such actions risk undermining their efforts to manage gambling-related harm and may contribute to relapse.

“Moreover, doing so represents a failure to uphold the licensee’s ethical obligation to prioritise customer welfare over commercial interests.”