TopSport, a well-known player in the gaming industry, is once again in a precarious position following a violation of the Lithuanian underage gambling laws. In a report by iGaming Business, the operator was hit with a financial penalty subsequent to facilitating an underage patron access at one of its slot salons.
The Lithuanian Gambling Supervisory Authority promptly took on the responsibility to scrutinise the incident and discovered that the under-aged individual had entered the venue along with two others. All three occupants spent around two hours at the salon before their departure. Throughout this period, TopSport failed to appropriately verify the age of the minor and duly eject the trio.
This oversite led to TopSport’s violation of Article 10, Part 10 of the Lithuanian law on Gambling, which unambiguously bans operators from accommodating under-aged clients. Additionally, TopSport contravened Article 20, Part 10 of the same law, which mandates all companies to verify and validate all patrons upon entry into a gambling arena.
Moreover, the regulatory body identified an independent breach of Article 101, Part 1 of the law which obliges firms to instruct individuals of the hazards and potential risks associated with gambling. Here, TopSport fell short of putting up the requisite warning messages and notifications throughout the salon. As a result, they did not manage to adequately enlighten their clients about the possible risks involved.
Consequently, for these infringements, the Lithuanian Gambling Supervisory Authority documented a monetary penalty of $26,710 on the operator. However, this decision is not irrevocable and TopSport has the option to counter it if they find the fine to be inequitable.
TopSport is Still Adjusting to the Lithuanian Regulations
TopSport’s recent breach followed yet another transgression in April when it allowed a person to fund their account using another individual’s payment card. The customer used this card to deposit a substantial sum into their account, resulting in a flagrant violation of the rules. Eventually, the regulator uncovered the anomaly and levied a $16,000 fine on the gaming company.
Earlier in February, TopSport was found in non-compliance with Lithuanian gambling promotional rules. The operator crossed a line with prohibited marketing strategies by directly email-blasting detailed descriptions of its services to customers. These actions led the regulator to slap an additional $26,710 fine on the company.
TopSport had its run-ins with the law last year as well, including permitting a non-Lithuanian resident to gamble on its online platform. This was not the first time the company had been penalised, as it had previously been subjected to fines for two other offences. These infractions involved unlawful promotion and an inconsistent ability to identify retail customers due to poor security camera footage.
