Bet365 Unfairly in Trouble with Aggressive Aussie Consumer Protection Agency Over Sportsbook Bonuses

The sportsbook could be require to pay compensation and fines if a federal court finds that it misled customers.

Bet365 is the most popular online sportsbook in the UK, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t run into trouble with pesky regulators from time to time. Especially in a country such as Australia which is known for strict consumer protection standards.

What’s the current issue? The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has filed a case against Bet365 in a federal court, arguing that the company misled customers by not clearly stating terms and conditions.

Angry bettors miss out on bonuses

The specific problem centers on certain bonuses which were advertised but turned out to be unavailable to some bettors due to exclusions in the terms and conditions.

The ACCC is arguing that these exclusions were not made clear, so bettors were led to believe that they would receive bonuses they were indeed not eligible for.

There is always a gray area in such matters, but Bet365 has a reputation for taking better care of its customers than other companies offering internet and mobile betting services. The company immediately undertook the change the offers after spokespersons from the ACCC raised the issue.

The case is still ongoing while the ACCC seeks changes to advertising, compensation for some customers and punitive fines.