Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited, which operates Betfred’s online gambling services, has agreed to pay £900,000 ($1.19 million) following serious shortcomings identified by the UK Gambling Commission in its safer gambling measures. This decision arose from a licence review that was published on June 30, 2026, after a compliance assessment that took place from May to June 2024.
The investigation revealed significant gaps in Petfre’s automatic monitoring and intervention systems that are supposed to protect customers showing signs of gambling harm. One major shortcoming was the inadequate customer interaction systems, which failed to meet the requirements outlined in Social Responsibility Code Provision (SRCP) 3.4.3. This particular provision obliges remote operators to establish effective systems for recognizing, responding to, and evaluating customer risk.
Additionally, the Gambling Commission pointed out that there was a lack of sufficient automation in detecting harmful behaviors. Petfre did not have strong automated processes in place to flag important indicators, such as excessive spending, lengthy play sessions, and other behavior patterns associated with gambling issues. The Commission noted that delays and a reliance on manual methods hindered Petfre’s ability to address these critical aspects of safer gambling.
Despite a procedural flaw that prevented customer accounts flagged for review from being re-flagged for a week, leading to delayed intervention—one individual reportedly lost £17,900 within a day without any follow-up from the operator—Petfre could not clearly define “strong indicators of harm” in its policies nor implement automated responses as required by SRCP 3.4.3(11).
Following the assessment, Petfre agreed to settle with a payment of £900,000, which serves as a financial penalty and includes funding for the publication of a statement of facts and assistance with the regulator’s investigation costs. All funds collected will go to the government’s Consolidated Fund.
John Pierce, the director of enforcement at the Gambling Commission, described the breaches as “significant.” He stated, “The Commission found that Petfre didn’t have sufficiently effective procedures in place, meaning some customers displaying markers of harm were not contacted quickly enough.” He acknowledged that while these gaps are unacceptable, the licensee acted swiftly to implement immediate controls to address the Commission’s concerns and has since committed to a comprehensive action plan to align with regulatory requirements.
The Commission took into account mitigating factors such as Petfre’s prompt efforts to rectify its shortcomings and its full cooperation throughout the investigation. However, the operator's past regulatory issues and similar problems encountered by other companies were considered in determining the final settlement amount.
This is not the first time Betfred has faced scrutiny. In December 2025, the operator was ordered to pay £825,000 owing to a series of failures related to social responsibility and anti-money laundering practices in its UK betting shops. The Gambling Commission previously found that Betfred had not implemented an effective policy for identifying customers potentially subject to financial sanctions, with inquiry thresholds set at £15,000 losses and £125,000 stakes within a year.
This latest enforcement action is part of the Gambling Commission’s ongoing initiative to enhance oversight of online gambling operators’ safer gambling frameworks. Just last week, the Commission directed Stakelogic BV to pay £122,835 due to shortcomings found in their slot game timings.
