Restricting - Sorry Sir we do not want your business

Last year - before 'lockdown' obviously - I was invited by Racing UK (Racing TV as it is now) to a kind of focus group. We probably did not meet the usual diversity criteria. Basically we were all white men aged in our 50's and 60's, which I suspect makes up a considerable portion of the Racing TV subscribers.


We were asked to introduce ourselves and detail our interests in racing and betting. What then followed was each of us in turn describing how we watch and bet - followed by tales of how various bookmakers restrict us. To be honest there may have been a small bit of boasting going on - "I've been banned by more bookmakers than you" - but there is little doubt that our collective experience was that if a punter shows a degree of skill in his wagering then the bookies do not want your business.


I thought it might be interesting to report my experience of being restricted. My local Ladbrokes betting shop were promoting their Grid card (similar to a supermarket loyalty card). The benefit in shop was that you could obtain 'best odds guaranteed' (BOG) on all races - i.e..if you took a price and the SP was bigger, you get paid at the bigger price. The card is linked to your online account as well.


8 weeks later - and I do not think I was even in profit  over the period - I received the message I have copied at the bottom of this post. Since then I have been unable to bet with Ladbrokes online (the bet is simply refused when entered) and in the shops any use of the Grid cards results in similar restrictions. I showed the message to the man who 'sold' me the Grid card - "oh that's a bit stingy."


Not long after this I was similarly closed by Paddy Power (despite even taking out their chargecard - which I cut up in a slight strop!). Marathon restricted me to 21p maximum bets after a couple of successful football wagers. Coral restrict me in the same way as Ladbrokes (they are effectively the same company these days) and for reasons I have never been able to get to the bottom of William Hill will not let me open an account, which is a nuisance as they are often up first with evening before prices. It cannot be proved but it does make you wonder whether some bookies share information on who to restrict?


These days my main betting is with Bet365, and I also use Betfred, Betvictor and Boylesports - and in fairness to those companies I have not been restricted by them yet.


It seems that the likes of Ladbrokes and Paddy Power are amongst those bookmakers who only want mugs to bet with them - 'losing punters only please'.  And it's not a just a question of them banning arbers and professionals. It seems that any recreational punter who makes a small profit (or even actually a small loss) is not welcome.


Hi Graham, 
 

We wish to advise you that following a review of your Ladbrokes sports betting account, you will no longer be eligible to receive ANY of our free bet offers and concessions.

These include concessions such as “Best Odds Guaranteed”, “Odds Boost” as well as ALL current and future free bet offers (including “Acca Insurance”).
Please be aware that although you may still see free bet offers and other concessions advertised on the Ladbrokes site and mobile apps, any bets you place will NOT qualify toward them and you will not be awarded any subsequent free bets.

Please note that any future sports bets that you attempt to place may be subject to staking restrictions which will be notified to you at the time you are seeking to place a bet. These restrictions are in accordance with our terms and conditions.
We would like to draw your attention to the following key points regarding any free bets that you have not yet redeemed or in relation to which you are part way through completing the qualification requirements:

  1. Any unredeemed free bet tokens currently available within your account will remain available for use in accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to the specific free bet offer through which they were granted.
  2. If you have already placed qualifying bets in relation to a specific free bet offer, you will still be entitled to receive the full value of the relevant free bet token in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions.
  3. If you are part way through qualifying for a free bet token you will still be able to place further qualifying bets and be entitled to receive the full value of the relevant free bet token once all applicable requirements have been fulfilled in accordance with the terms and conditions. However, please note that whilst we will allow you to place further qualifying bets on the vast majority of our sports betting markets, the restrictions placed on your account may result in you not being able to place qualifying bets on certain sports betting markets.

If you have any queries in relation to this notification please contact customer support at https://help.ladbrokes.com/s/contactsupport

Regards,

Ladbrokes Sports Team





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