BlueBet Criticized for Failing VIP Gambler Protections

A recent investigation by the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC) has revealed concerning practices by Australian bookmaker BlueBet when handling a high-stakes VIP customer back in 2021. 

“Unacceptable” Conduct

A federal parliamentary inquiry, led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, had already warned that bonus bets push people toward riskier bets, lead to bigger losses, and weaken efforts to protect gamblers. The inquiry also went further and recommended banning such incentives altogether.

In this instance, the customer had already lost $4,000 in a single day when he requested bonus bets from his recently awarded VIP manager. Initially, when his request was declined, he asked for his account to be closed. 

Within two minutes, the manager had deposited $500 of bonus bets into his account. The NTRWC found that BlueBet prioritized retaining a profitable customer over its legal responsibility to promote responsible gambling, noting that the VIP manager had no evidence of harm minimization training.

Instead of closely monitoring the situation and “engaging in meaningful, responsible gambling actions”, BlueBet gave VIP status to the player and assigned a dedicated VIP account manager. His commission was directly connected to the net gambling revenue of the player. 

BlueBet later said it had tried to do a “responsible gambling check-in” after the customer couldn’t place bets because of insufficient funds. However, the NTRWC found that the call was triggered mainly by payment issues, not by any genuine concern for the customer’s well-being.

Following this, the customer continued to gamble heavily and requested additional bonus bets from his VIP manager.

“At no stage did the account manager make mention that BlueBet was concerned about his wagering activities from a responsible gambling perspective,” the NTRWC found. Instead, the VIP manager kept encouraging the complainant to wager “through the promise of the provision of upcoming bonuses”, the report added.

Over the next two weeks, the man gambled close to $400,000, and it was only after he contacted the company himself to say he wished he had “been pulled up earlier” that his account was finally closed. 

“BlueBet missed multiple opportunities for timely and appropriate action,” the regulator said, calling it “extremely concerning” that the responsibility fell on the customer rather than the company.

“Heavens, We Can’t Afford That Again” Fines Needed

Despite these findings, BlueBet was fined $53,380, which represents less than 10% of the $570,000 lost by the customer. 

Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie has urged for much harsher penalties, saying, “It should be an amount that hurts the company financially and hurts them so much that they think, ‘heavens, we can’t afford that again.’”

BlueBet merged with the gambling company Betr earlier this year, which means it no longer operates independently.  

The NTRWC highlighted that even after four months and $700,000 in losses, the company only then checked whether the customer could afford to keep betting, underscoring the failings of its VIP program.