Record number of complaints made to gambling regulator

Record numbers of gamblers complained to the industry regulator last year, new figures show.

The 8,266 grievances lodged with the Gambling Commission in 2018 included 2,135 allegations that betting firms failed in their social responsibilities to customers, as well as 2,227 cases of “non payment”.

A total of 109 people said they objected to unsolicited marketing, while 25 complained that an advert “appealed to children”.

The figure was the largest on record since the Gambling Commission’s remit was expanded to include online activity in November 2014, coinciding with a vast increase in the number of cases reported by customers.

Figures released to BBC Panorama under Freedom of Information laws show there were 273 complaints in 2011, 228 in 2012 and 169 in 2013, before the Gambling Commission began regulating online betting.

In 2015, the first full year of its expanded territory, the regulator dealt with 4,291 complaints.

This rose again to around 8,100 the following year, before dropping to 6,224 the year after.

There were 5,587 complaints made between January 1 2019 and July 8 this year, the figures showed.

Last month, five of the UK’s biggest gambling companies committed to a series of measures to address problem gambling, including a major increase in funding for addiction, following government pressure.

The companies – Bet365, Paddy Power-owner Flutter, Ladbrokesowner GVC, Sky Betting & Gaming, and William Hill – agreed the proposals to create a safer gambling environment after discussions with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The gambling firms will increase their financial support for safer gambling, increasing their commitment from 0.1% of their gross gambling yield to 1% by 2023.

A commission spokesman said the spike in the number of complaints was related to its expanded remit.