Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited, the company behind the Betfred brand, has been fined £240,000 ($323,110) by the UK Gambling Commission for breaches of Remote Technical Standards (RTS) concerning its online slot games. The regulator identified several games that failed to display players’ net positions accurately and featured celebratory effects for losses disguised as wins, a practice banned in 2021 due to potential harm.
The commission emphasized that these breaches impair a consumer’s ability to interpret gameplay, potentially leading to uninformed decisions. Although Petfre took immediate action to remove the affected games, the severity of the breaches led to financial enforcement.
John Pierce, Director of Enforcement at the Gambling Commission, remarked that game features which mislead or confuse players are not appropriate and pose a clear risk. The penalty serves as a warning to the wider iGaming sector to ensure compliance and safeguard players.
This is the second regulatory fine for Petfre. In September 2022, the company was fined £2.9 million for failures related to social responsibility and anti-money laundering controls. The current fine reflects ongoing scrutiny by regulators to maintain fairness and protect consumers in the online gaming space.
The Betfred case is part of a broader trend of enforcement actions by the UK Gambling Commission. Recent fines include Maple International Ventures for £360,000 over similar breaches, and ProgressPlay, fined £1 million in August for non-compliance across multiple gambling sites.
Operators are now urged to review their technical standards and game designs to ensure transparency, fairness, and regulatory compliance. The fine reinforces the need for the industry to prioritize player protection and maintain trust in the online gaming ecosystem.
