MintBet Fined for Responsible Gambling Breaches

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Australian bookmaker MintBet $100,000 for breaching responsible gambling rules. 

In Victoria, licensed bookmakers must comply with responsible gambling codes of conduct, and MintBet was found to be in breach of these codes after a customer lost more than $30,000 in a period of 35 hours. 

MintBet failed to stop taking bets 

The VGCCC found that the MintBet customer was allowed to gamble and lose $31,149 over 35 hours in a 50-hour period, placing more than 300 bets in the process. 

The Commission issued the fine after finding that MintBet continued accepting bets even though the customer showed signs of distress related to problem gambling. 

The betting firm only acted when the customer contacted them directly to say that they were experiencing harm caused by their irresponsible gambling. 

Though MintBet has several internal systems to prevent problem gambling, the investigators found that they were inadequate. 

As a result, a $100,000 fine was issued, and the VGCCC tasked MintBet with providing details of the improvements it plans to make to prevent such occurrences from happening again. 

The Commission hasn’t ruled out future action if MintBet fails to take the necessary steps to protect its customers from problem gambling. 

‘Serious Consequences’ for betting firms 

The Deputy CEO of the VGCCC, Scott May, said this fine should serve as a wake-up call to other bookmakers in Victoria, highlighting what’s at stake if they don’t take responsible gambling measures seriously. 

He commented, “There are serious consequences for any gambling provider that fails to comply with their own responsible gambling code of conduct. We won’t tolerate it.”

He spoke out after MintBet failed to recognise that this customer’s extended period of gambling – and excessive losses – were a sign of problem gambling. 

Though every customer needs to take responsibility for the amount they bet, the Commission wasn’t satisfied that MintBet took the required steps to protect its customers from harm, hence the penalty.

Responsible gambling at MintBet 

When you visit MintBet’s website, you will find several responsible gambling tools in place. On the homepage, there is even a link to BetStop and details on how to sign up for the National Self-Exclusion Register. 

The MintBet homepage also has a responsible gambling tab, which redirects to the Gordon Moody Gambling Therapy website. 

From the outside, at least, you would hope that MintBet takes responsible gambling seriously. However, as this recent case has shown, more needs to be done. 

More than just a statement 

Australian bookmakers and casinos can easily place a responsible gambling statement on their website. It takes just a few minutes to write, and it’s easy enough to link to some responsible gambling resources. 

However, the true test is in the way that online betting sites deal with problem gambling in real-time. What tools does the site have to protect gamblers from going too far? 

The VGCCC stipulates that all Victoria license holders must have a Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct. However, it stops short of instructing firms to institute specific tools to restrict betting on their sites. 

Other regulatory bodies, like the UK Gambling Commission, have much more stringent guidelines for responsible gambling. These include specific tools that casinos and sportsbooks must provide to help customers stay in control. 

It’s clear that the VGCCC isn’t happy with the way that MintBet deals with responsible gambling in practice, and it will be interesting to see what changes, if any, the bookmaker institutes in the coming weeks and months. 

Betsquare and responsible gambling

At Betsquare, we take responsible gambling very seriously. We many new betting sites entering the Australian market and dig deep to discover how they protect customers with responsible gambling tools. 

We like to see sites that do more than make a statement on the homepage. We want to see actual tools – like deposit and time limits – that customers can use to actively stay in control of their gambling and enjoy sports betting and casino gameplay in a fun and responsible way. 

It’s not too much to ask legitimate, licensed online betting sites available in Australia to provide a suite of responsible gambling tools to their players, and it’s a non-negotiable as far as we’re concerned. 

We trust that MintBet learns from its mistake and VGCCC fine, and that it improves the way it deals with problem gambling going forward.