Flutter’s Paddy Power and Betfair brands hit with over €2 million UK gambling penalty

Flutter Entertainment, the global online sports betting and iGaming giant with offices in Malta, must pay over €2.2 million (£2m) to the UK Gambling Commission after shortcomings were identified in how its Paddy Power and Betfair brands handled customer protection and safer gambling interactions.

The settlement, announced on 17th December (today), relates to four remote gambling operators operating under the Paddy Power and Betfair licences. It represents the second regulatory penalty imposed on the Flutter-owned brands within two years, following a fine of over €550,000 (£490,000) in 2023 for marketing breaches involving self-excluded customers.

According to the Gambling Commission, the enforcement action followed a compliance review that found failures in the timing and effectiveness of customer interactions designed to prevent gambling-related harm.

While the regulator acknowledged that Flutter did intervene in the cases examined, it concluded that those interventions were often delayed or insufficiently responsive to emerging risk indicators.

Several customer examples were highlighted in the Commission’s findings. In one case, a player deposited over €13,000 (£12,000) over just 15 days before being flagged for review, while another deposited over €28,000 (£25,000) in under a month before any interaction took place. Elsewhere, a customer lost more than €13,000 (£12,000) across five weeks before triggering intervention measures.

The regulator also pointed to instances of high-velocity gambling activity that failed to prompt timely manual oversight.

One customer staked over €97,000 (£86,000) across 16 days, losing €6,823 (£6,000) in the process, without any human review of the account. Another player recorded prolonged gambling sessions, including a continuous session lasting nearly eight hours during which more than 300 bets were placed for a total stake of over €22,000 (£20,000). In that case, action was only taken after the customer exceeded a predefined loss threshold.

Commenting on the settlement, John Pierce, Director of Enforcement at the Gambling Commission, said the size of the payment reflected the seriousness of the failings uncovered during the 2024 assessment.

“This £2m settlement reflects the seriousness of the failings identified and the importance of meeting social responsibility and customer interaction standards,” Mr Pierce said. “Over-reliance on automation and failure to intervene when clear harm indicators are present exposes consumers to unnecessary risk. Where we find failings, we will act decisively to protect players.”

Mr Pierce added that although the licencees cooperated fully with the investigation, acknowledged the breaches early, and implemented remedial measures, swift corrective action is “the minimum we expect from operators” when serious weaknesses are identified.

Flutter, which maintains a significant operational presence in Malta alongside its UK and Irish business, responded by emphasising its commitment to player safety and regulatory compliance.