Playtech apologises and donates £5million after historic systematic failings

Software giants, Playtech, have issued an apology following the publication of the UK Gambling Commissions investigation into their subsidiary company, PT Entertainment Services, which found ‘serious systematic failings’ in their processes.

Systematic failings between 2015 and 2017

The UKGC initiated an investigation into Playtech’s subsidiary company PTES, after the family of a 25-year-old man who sadly took his own life in April 2017, due to gambling harm, raised their concerns about the company; specifically their social interaction and money laundering processes.

PTES, which operated winner.co.uk and titanbet.co.uk voluntary surrendered their UK Gambling Licence and closed their sites after the UKGC found the company had systematically failed in their social responsibility and anti-money laundering processes during 2015 to 2017. Specifically, out of their 240,126 active and high-spending players, they only sent ‘responsible gambling’ emails to 624 players.

In relation to the man who took his life, the UKGC found that PTES had seriously failed in their responsibility to him; failing to carry out any social interaction despite his high spending and his debit cards being declined on numerous occasions, and giving him VIP status without carrying out any affordability or source of income checks.

‘We take full responsibility’

PTES previously donated £619, 395 to be distributed to charities that help with gambling harm, but have now increased this to £3.5million, the figure the UKGC would have asked PTES to donate, had they not already surrendered their license. Playtech have also pledged to donate £5million over the next five years towards reducing gambling related harm.

PTES and Playtech are keen to note they have changed their procedures and tightened their protocols significantly since. PTES’s interim chairperson, Claire Milne said:

“The findings of this investigation do not reflect where Playtech stands today. But while the company has made many positive and important changes, we feel it is only right for us to recognise these historic failings by offering this increased amount. In speaking with many of our stakeholders, it was clear they felt the failings were not representative of the Playtech they know. Through this action, we want to send a message to them and the wider industry of who we are today and aspire to be.

“Raising industry standards on safer gambling and being a leader in responsible business is central to our strategy as a technology partner. In my new role as interim chairman, I am fully committed to this continuing to be a key focus of ours going forward.”

Playtech’s CEO, Mor Weizer also commented on the matter:

“We take full responsibility for these regulatory breaches…In recent years, we have invested significantly to seek to ensure that these types of breaches do not happen again, including addressing the specific issues raised by the Commission.”