Flutter’s Betfair Secures Victory in High Court Problem Gambling Case

Flutter Entertainment, the recognizable gaming and betting company, recently won an important case filed against one of its brands operating in the United Kingdom. The decision in the case against the company filed by a person who lost nearly £1.5 million ($1.89 million) gambling with Betfair came from the country’s High Court.

Legal Claim Against Betfair Dismissed

The lawsuit in question involves Lee Gibson, a gambler who used Flutter’s Betfair brand for a decade, amassing losses of £1,480,728 ($1.87 million). The man sustained significant losses while gambling on sports between November 2009 and April 2019. On Friday, High Court Judge Bird effectively put an end to the legal battle after dismissing the plaintiff’s lawsuit against Betfair.

Siding with the gambling company, the Judge concluded that Gibson’s “claim must be dismissed in its entirety.” Moreover, High Court Judge Bird wrote: “Given my findings I do not propose to deal with quantum issues, issues of contributory negligence or issues of limitation. I am grateful to all counsel for their assistance.”

In his lawsuit, Gibson alleged that Betfair breached its duty of care by failing to protect him. The man, who sustained serious losses while gambling with the operator alleged that he demonstrated signs of problem gambling such as increasing losses and high frequency of betting. Moreover, Gibson alleged that promotions by Betfair encouraged him to spend even more on gambling.

Insufficient Evidence

The plaintiff sought to recover money lost with the betting operator. Alleging he demonstrated problem gambling, Gibson also argued that Betfair did not intervene or prevent him from losing more money, resulting in piling losses for 10 years.

Betfair rejected the plaintiff’s claims. The betting operator argued that it complied with the established regulatory framework. Additionally, Betfair argued that its internal monitoring systems did not flag problematic behavior demonstrated by Gibson for the period he gambled with the operator.

Ruling in favor of Betfair, the court concluded that the plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove the betting company breached its contract or was negligent. While the betting company has a duty of care to identify customers who are potentially demonstrating problematic behavior, the court highlighted the need for sufficient evidence to prove such failures.

The court’s decision is important, especially considering that earlier this year, courts across Europe sided with plaintiffs who lost money while gambling online. Regulation of the market remains complex, but the latest decision can serve as a stepping stone for further similar cases, helping one party or the other prove its point.