UK Gambling Commission Probes Tote’s Betting Operations

Earlier this month, we reported that the UK gambling regulator, the Gambling Commission, hit Aspire Global with a $1.8 million penalty. The hefty monetary sanction came amid uncovered alleged violations of anti-money laundering and social responsibility, the watchdog said at the time.

Now, the Commission is reportedly once again eyeing the gambling sector, this time scrutinizing the formerly state-owned betting operator with rich history, Tote.

Tote Is Reportedly Subject to Regulatory Scrutiny

A recently released report by The Guardian suggests that the popular operator is in the regulator’s sights. Reportedly, the Commission is looking into whether or not Tote is following the established regulations which require it to inform its customers when participating in its own betting pools that in some cases offer customers a chance to win big prizes with small stakes.

The current framework requires Tote to inform its customers “in plain language” that in some cases they may be wagering against the company when it comes to some betting pools such as Placepot. Not unexpectedly, the Commission constantly monitors the activities of betting and gaming companies and in this case, it is reportedly seeking to determine if gambling is “conducted in a fair and open way.”

At the same time, the gambling watchdog would analyze and assess to what extent Tote is involved in its own betting pools and whether or not the company discloses this involvement in a “plain language” for its customer base.

The Regulator Is Yet to Comment Publicly

The scrutiny reportedly follows a report the gambling regulator received that was seen by The Guardian. The data in question was compiled by a “longstanding racing fan and punter,” who analyzed betting activities for two years. The report claimed that the operator’s money invested in some pools amounted to up to 60% of all of the cash. The beloved Placepot was given as an example.

Pari-mutuel betting pools seek to grant a level of betting entertainment that excludes the bookmaker from the process. Such pools enable bettors to wager against each other. However, the report sent by the avid racing fan and bettor claimed that Tote leverages a “significant information advantage” when it comes to betting pools. This in turn may have created a conflict of interest, the analysis suggested.

So far, the gambling regulator hasn’t released any public information on the matter. This means that it is too early to say whether or not the operator may be facing any actions from the Commission.

The latest scrutiny comes at a time when one of the most popular racing events, Cheltenham Festival, is expected to start just days from now. The beloved horse racing-based meeting is scheduled to take place between March 11 and March 14, 2025.