UKGC may investigate Ladbrokes for confidential information leakage

The gambling regulator may investigate Ladbrokes over an incident after betting addicts’ details found in bin bag outside one of the bookmaker’s betting shops in Scotland.

The sensitive data included names, addresses, photographs of customers who signed up for the self-exclusion scheme Moses which allows problem gamblers to voluntarily ban themselves from placing bets. The data also included information about why they have chosen to exclude themselves from placing bets.

A statement on the Moses website reads: “Your personal details are kept confidential and only shared with the participating bookmakers their group companies’ and the central team administrators.”

Tim Miller, UK Gambling Commission Executive Director said: “Customers trust that their personal data will be collected carefully and then protected properly,” “We expect gambling operators to adhere to all data protection laws or regulations, which are enforced by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).” “In an instance where personal data has been breached, we would expect operators to do whatever they can to mitigate any harm caused.”

In response, a Ladbrokes spokesperson said: “We are taking this extremely seriously and undertaking a full investigation.”

Marc Etches, chief executive of charity GambleAware said: “We really hope this situation does not put anyone off using self-exclusion, as research we published in March found that 83% of those who have used it found the scheme to be effective, although we would always recommend professional treatment alongside such measures.” “Self-exclusion is often a last resort for those already suffering from a gambling addiction and it’s important we identify those who are at risk as early as possible and prevent problems developing.”