The Irish National Lottery operator, Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), has received a hefty penalty following the discovery of self-exclusion infringements by the national lottery regulator. The regulatory body levied a hefty fiscal punishment of €150,000 ($160,900) against PLI, as a direct result of the operator failing to uphold its license terms.
This punitive action is an outcome of a thorough investigation of PLI’s operations conducted by the lottery regulator. The probe exposed issues with self-exclusion extending back to 2021. As per the existing rules, PLI is not obligated to maintain self-exclusion measures.
Despite this, in 2019, PLI introduced self-exclusion measures, spearheading efforts to curtail problem gambling and gambling among the vulnerable. Subsequently, in 2021, PLI complied with a GDPR directive that led to the removal of 126 consumer accounts that were indefinitely self-excluded.
The regulatory watchdog found that after the culling of these accounts, some of the formerly self-excluded individuals were able to create new accounts. The regulator found that of the 126 culled accounts, 16 persons were able to open new ones. Of this number, a dozen were able to participate in gambling activities, spending close to €3,300 ($3,073) by buying tickets via their new accounts.
The regulator’s probe additionally revealed that four gamblers received marketing communication from PLI. As a repercussion of the financial sanction, the seized fund was redirected to the exchequer for redistribution to assorted causes.
Consumer Safeguarding Is a Regulatory Imperative
Carol Boate, who is at the helm of the Irish lottery regulator, confirmed the organization’s commitment to safeguarding players and ensuring that the National Lottery operator adheres strictly to the predetermined regulations, as stated in a report by The Irish Sun. She referred to the compulsory identity and age verification checks for all online National Lottery participants.
According to Boate, these stringent measures strive to eradicate underage gambling and minimize problem gambling. Boate said, “The result of finding the Operator in breach over self-exclusion issues has been an enhancement of controls that can detect and prevent such players from opening another account.”
“I am assured that this action has already been successful in dissuading and barring underage and problem gamers from accessing National Lottery games online, including those who self-exclude.”
Carol Boate, chief of the Irish lottery regulator
Self-exclusion options are enjoying growing acceptance and have demonstrated their efficacy. Alongside self-exclusion, iGaming operators provide deposit and spending limit controls to help customers manage their gambling expenditure effectively.
