Lottery operator Camelot has been fined £3.15 million after mistakenly telling 20,000 players that they did not have winning tickets and sending marketing messages to people with potential gambling addictions.
The Gambling Commission today hit the company with the fine after investigating three issues with the National Lottery app.
Up to 20,000 players who checked their numbers using a QR scanner on the app between November 2016 to September 2020 were incorrectly told they had losing tickets.
The company also double-charged 22,210 customers through its National Lottery app, according to a report from the Gambling Commission. Camelot later refunded them.
Around 65,400 people who had either self-excluded through Gamstop, a gambling restriction service, or had been identified by Camelot as showing signs of gambling harm, were sent marketing notifications, although none of them were subsequently able to purchase a lottery ticket via the app.
A Camelot spokesperson said it strived to operate the National Lottery to the “highest possible standards”.
“We are sorry that some of our controls fell short of the mark in certain very specific circumstances and have paid the fine,” they added.
The fine will go towards charitable causes.
Andrew Rhodes, Gambling Commission chief executive, said: “We are reassured that Camelot has taken steps to make sure that their National Lottery app is fit for purpose.
“However, we must caution Camelot that any failings on their duties will be met with consequences. Today’s announcement reinforces that any operator failing to comply with their licence requirements will be investigated by the Commission and we will not hesitate to issue fines if requirements are breached.”
The news comes less than a week after it emerged that Camelot is set to lose its licence to operate the game after 30 years, with the Gambling Commission announcing plans to favour rival company Allwyn.
