Ladbrokes Reported Me To Gamprotect - will it affect my credit file ? !

jdybnsn

I'm in a crazy situation with Ladbrokes and now worried that I will have negativity on my credit file.
May I start by saying I certainly do not and never had a gambling problem - I don't even do the National lottery ! I am your once a year Grand National bet person - and I haven't even done that for 3 years ! It all started when this year, I decided I would place a bet on the National. I opened a new account with Ladbrokes on line - I placed a stake of £35 on 3 horses and I ended up getting a couple of places and so cashed in a £102 winning. All well and good - since then pretty well every day since I was bombarded by Ladbrokes with a Free Spin of the wheel game. At first I ignored it and then on and off I would give it a go. I never placed another real bet but did build up a tidy sum of 41 pence (yes pence) from my free activities since April.
Then this week I got sent an on line survey from Ladbrokes asking a few questions as to how I found their website - I didn't think much of it and didn't even think it was directly linked to my account. One question it asked was "what don't you like about Ladbrokes" to which I answered "gambling is addictive". Thought no more about it until I had an on line message from Ladbrokes telling me to contact them due to suspicious activity on my account. Fearing the worst that someone had taken over my account I contacted them. Their guy then started quizzing me as to why I had put that answer. So I replied it was because I thought gambling was addictive, like smoking (I don't smoke either)  he kept repeating on and on at me about my view and in the end said are you an addict, to which (not realising the implications) I sarcastically said sure I am look at my account I place one bet with you 8 weeks ago and play your free game- of course I am ! From that point onward he said right that's it you have just raised a big red flag and we are going to ban you as you admitted you are an addict. I was like how can you say I am an addict ?- look at my account ?! On what basis am I an addict if you look at my on line betting patterns (or lack of) But he just wouldn't listen. I asked to speak to a supervisor - he said I couldn't. I asked to raise a formal complaint and he told me I couldn't. Eventually in frustration I told him where he could stick his account.OK I was rather rude but it was utterly ridiculous - I hadn't lost any money and I hadn't placed a real bet in 2 months - and they were intent on classing  me as an gambling addict ! I rather thought it was more a case that I wasn't gambling, than I was gambling, for them wanting to close my account !
However, now it transpires that Ladbrokes have also reported me to Gamprotect - which effectively bans me from all betting sites minimum 5 years , and if I don't appeal after 5 years,it is 35 years. Not that I have any other accounts, or that I like to bet (apart from the Grand National) My worry is what implication will this have on my credit file because apparently they inform your bank ! I know I should have thought more carefully about being sarcastic but I honestly had no clue what they were actually getting at when they first started quizzing me. The whole conversation was just ridiculous and I was not prepared for what their objective really was !
Now I'm really worried and furious at the same time.

MorningcoffeeIV

Been prevented from gambling doesn't impact your credit files.

But avoid telling people you have addictions you don't in the future. It rarely benefits you.

jdybnsn

I although I don't gamble (apart from once a year on the Grand National) I feel utterly furious that they can do this - seems like a huge abuse of power on someone without more evidence than a throw away comment, only made because the person talking to me was getting really irritating.
And what is more annoying is they clearly were not enquiring whatsoever about my mental health -- they just obviously wanted a non profit making member off their site. Now becoming a point of principle in my eyes.
I've written to their CEO - not sure what good that will do but they ought be made aware what their staff are up to.

artyboy

Would you sarcastically say you have a bomb in your luggage at an airport?

Some things it's just not sensible to do. The gambling industry is fighting tooth and nail to avoid further restrictions and one of the ways it does so is by being seen to shut down gambling addicts. It's not rocket science to see what has happened here.

MattMattMattUK

jdybnsn said:

I although I don't gamble (apart from once a year on the Grand National) I feel utterly furious that they can do this - seems like a huge abuse of power on someone without more evidence than a throw away comment, only made because the person talking to me was getting really irritating.

You stated, in writing that you thought gambling was addictive, you then appear to have become combative with someone on the phone. This is an industry that is under a huge amount of pressure to reform and to tackle problem gambling an you triggered those flags. Once you do that they are then under an obligation to report you to a support organisation.

jdybnsn said:

And what is more annoying is they clearly were not enquiring whatsoever about my mental health -- they just obviously wanted a non profit making member off their site.

It is nothing to do with wanting "a non profit making member off their site", it is because you triggered the flags. 

jdybnsn said:

Now becoming a point of principle in my eyes.

The principle that it is unwise to tell an organisation with safeguarding issues that you have a potential issue?

jdybnsn said:

I've written to their CEO - not sure what good that will do but they ought be made aware what their staff are up to.

They will be aware of "what their staff are up to", they will have signed off the safeguarding policy which they are required to have and enforced by the regulator. Many bookmakers are getting large fines for inadequate safeguarding so if you do trigger the flags they have it is no surprise that they have to act. The level you seem to want to take this to almost indicates an issue with gambling as far as they are concerned, someone desperate to be allowed to gamble again, raising multiple complaints, etc. are not good signs from their perspective. 

jdybnsn

My only issue is that apart from an off the cuff remark, all the practical evidence on the ground shows I absolutely don't have a habit ...let alone an addiction. Whilst if they wanted to ban me from their site for 6 months, then I would have a problem - but to ban me from ALL sites for 35 years and to inform my bank is pretty OTT in my view.

PartyOfFive

I’m sure genuine gambling addicts don’t share your view that it’s OTT.

Mess of your own making IMO.

MalMonroe

Are you sure that was even a representative of Ladbrokes you were speaking to? (I've just been catching up on the BBC programme about scam interceptors on iPlayer, so I'm feeling suspicious of online organisations and their scammers/hackers). Some hackers and scammers can break into anyone's computer at any time.

It all does sound so weird to me that I think it may be a wind-up. But if they have banned you for a while they've probably done you a favour. Who needs them anyway?!

It will be interesting to know what response you get from Ladbrokes' CEO but it all sounds a bit fishy to me. 

btw, have you seen this news article? Hot off the press today -

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/31/ladbrokes-owner-entain-expects-substantial-financial-penalty-after-uk-investigation

Potbellypig

jdybnsn said:

My only issue is that apart from an off the cuff remark, all the practical evidence on the ground shows I absolutely don't have a habit ...let alone an addiction. Whilst if they wanted to ban me from their site for 6 months, then I would have a problem - but to ban me from ALL sites for 35 years and to inform my bank is pretty OTT in my view.

They won't be informing your bank.

MrFrugalFever

The art of conversation with the use of throw-away comments or off the cuff remarks has long since departed our social status and it now seems like anything and everything said can duly be held against you.

We live in sad times

MorningcoffeeIV

MalMonroe said:

Are you sure that was even a representative of Ladbrokes you were speaking to? (I've just been catching up on the BBC programme about scam interceptors on iPlayer, so I'm feeling suspicious of online organisations and their scammers/hackers). 

You need to watch less TV.