Two Of The Largest Uk Bookmaker’s Taken To Court

Two of the largest bookmakers in the UK are facing trials over letting a gambling addict place bets for over £650,000 at one of the bookmakers in a span of 6 months. This money was actually stolen cash that the addict placed at the houses of William Hill and Paddy Power. The two bookmakers are facing claims worth £1.5 million over these allegations.

As reported by the Guardian, the addict lost £150,000 at two shops of William Hill. One more than one occasion, the addict who wished to remain unnamed placed bets for over £50,000 in a single day. He did this by placing several bets of £1000 each within a span of minutes, on horse and greyhound races.  The gambling addict allegedly brought a sports bag filled with cash which he deposited at the counter of the bookmaker. He then proceeded to withdraw the money as he saw fit while betting on these races.

According to the testimony given by the addict, he stole the money from a certain client in Dubai where he worked in the property industry. The gambler in question has been interviewed by the Metropolitan Police, but has not been charged with any crime as he is cooperating in the case against the bookmakers. The addict, however, cannot return to Dubai where he will be arrested for the offense of presenting a cheque that he cannot pay for. It has been reported in the documents that the staff of William Hill did enquire with the addict about his comfort level regarding such high betting levels and even filed an internal report for investigation. Despite this, there was no action from senior executives about finding the source of the gambler’s funds. By this time as of 20 September 2016, the gambler had already bet £458,000 in a span of 3 months. A spokesperson for William Hill added that they were aware of the charges that are being pressed against them and are currently waiting for them to be proven or sufficiently substantiated.

In a separate issue, two other gambling addiction victims are seeking £965,000 from Paddy Power as a part of a regulatory settlement with the gambling commission. While gambling companies often return the money to gambling addict victims, they are not obliged to do so unless dictated by the court. The addicts have taken professional help for their problems and are on their way to helping those affected by their addiction.