Bet365 had my (losing) account suspended for almost 2 months now

**dealer wins** · 01-08-20, 08:08 PM

None of that financial info is any of their business, and I wouldn't have provided it, rather told them to F off. Go straight to their regulator!!

**xKMACKx** · 01-08-20, 08:36 PM

Originally posted by satana

As per title, between September and October I slightly increased my stakes, nothing exceptional and not remotely close to the peak stakes I used in the past. Despite having registered a loss in the mentioned period of time bet365 thought well of suspending my account. First I got asked a dozen questions about my job, my employer, my properties, my bank account and so on which I find an incredible breach of privacy. Having provided all the answers I was then booked for a call with their verifications department. Booking the appointment alone took a good 20 emails. I finally got to speak with someone who proceeded to ask me even more personal questions other than the ones I've had already answered in their online form. I had to give out the name of my employer, specify what was my income from Airbnb activities, whether I was the owner of the listing and other incredibly personal questions. Well guess what, this wasn't enough yet. I got asked for last 3 months bank statements which I immediately provided. That wasn't ok yet as it didn't show how I 'funded' it. Meaning origin of the money in my bank account. Being a relatively new-opened bank account the source was obviously a bank transfer from another bank account, otherwise I would have had to show up at the branch with €10,000 in cash in my pockets. Actually not even at the branch as I'm now with a online-only bank which I fund through top up's at certain supermarkets. They also asked for my Skrill statement but hear this; 365 suspended the use of deposits through Skrill way before the period I increased my stakes to all my Skrill statement has in the last months are deposits to Pinnacle. Despite the uselessness (but privateness) of all these informations I still haven't gotten a reply from them in weeks despite having solicited the unblock of my account several times.

This is by far the worst customer service I got from one of the 'major' bookies in the industry, I know you probably wouldn't even classify bet365 as a major operator but this behaviour is simply unacceptable. I'm also in the process of filing a complaint to IBAS for the obvious breach in privacy I got exposed to. At no point in the conversation I had with the operator I was guaranteed those informations will stay confidential and they required for all the documents not to be reducted so there's also other people's bank accounts informations in their possession. I find it absolutely astonishing and I'm also considering legal action in UK for this.

New regulations in the past year state UK operators have to be stricter with Source of Funds and Source of Wealth. I doubt they rule against Bet365.

**vaal** · 01-08-20, 09:07 PM

This seems incredibly invasive and over-the-top, is this sort of thing a normal occurence these days? Is it localized to UK customers or are they doing this elsewhere also?

**satana** · 01-09-20, 01:24 AM

Originally posted by xKMACKx

New regulations in the past year state UK operators have to be stricter with Source of Funds and Source of Wealth. I doubt they rule against Bet365.

Let me stress this again in case you haven't read the full post, they weren't happy with just how I funded my newly-opened bank account. They have tons of data on:
Full names of people I've exchanged bank transfers with, IBANs codes and all. My complete expenses, every single payment I made at every POS, resulting in my every single move since I pay the metro tickets too with my card. Is this accordant with just having Source of Funds tracked? Not to me, I'm sorry.
Plenty of things I haven't mentioned: whether I'm married, have a gf, how much time I spend abroad, what's my parents' income.
I'll email the Gambling Commission and seek advice.

**newton0038** · 01-09-20, 11:32 AM

Bet365 got u with their algorithm and now ur going through their verification hell. Hate to say this but u may be locked up for years to come as the book is in no rush to allow anyone to play. I do believe they are still holding a girls million + pound horse parlay from 2017 as it was a 25,000 pound wager and they took the bet but after the win accuse her of colluding and not having the source of wealth to purchase the parlay. They book, they need to pay it. Denise Coates is the twat behind Bet365

**satana** · 01-09-20, 12:26 PM

Yes, I remember that. Mine is a losing account tho. You won't believe it they just asked to speak to me on the phone again.

**winnerloser** · 01-09-20, 01:04 PM

why wud u mention that shit to them? bro find a new book.

**satana** · 01-09-20, 01:54 PM

Originally posted by winnerloser

why wud u mention that shit to them? bro find a new book.

Yup, definitely a mistake on my side being naive. I've also spoken to a UK lawyer who's confirmed the breach of privacy and this has to be thought through in terms of to proceed legally.

**Optional** · 01-09-20, 07:40 PM

Originally posted by satana

Let me stress this again in case you haven't read the full post, they weren't happy with just how I funded my newly-opened bank account. They have tons of data on:
Full names of people I've exchanged bank transfers with, IBANs codes and all. My complete expenses, every single payment I made at every POS, resulting in my every single move since I pay the metro tickets too with my card. Is this accordant with just having Source of Funds tracked? Not to me, I'm sorry.
Plenty of things I haven't mentioned: whether I'm married, have a gf, how much time I spend abroad, what's my parents' income.
I'll email the Gambling Commission and seek advice.

Do email the Gambling Commission and make all those points about the breach of privacy this opens up. They are good points.

But, unfortunately what Kmack said is correct. It is actually the UKGC pushing their licensed books into demanding more and more personal information.

The UK based books have not been allowed to follow this madness in Australia or USA so far, but you can sure they would love to do the same everywhere.

Please do complain to UKGC and help everyone, but they will just tell you IBAS is the only option to address complaints.

Maybe try asking UKGC if this is the intention of their regulations as a good angle to go with, rather than asking them to over rule the book?

**althelegend** · 01-10-20, 01:29 AM

The U.k. Gambling Commission does not normally insist on bookmakers obtaining the level of information shown by op.
However, if money laundering is suspected this can take inquiries to a higher level and it is up to the bookmaker to investigate and be certain this is not the case.

**satana** · 01-11-20, 01:35 AM

Thanks Optional, I'll keep you posted.

So I've spoken with the KYC over the phone again, another pointless conversation, this time the operator wanted to see my contract with the company I'm at (which has now expired anyway) and my airbnb full statements with screenshots and all haha. I declined. They'll let me know.....

**Optional** · 01-11-20, 01:45 AM

Originally posted by satana

Thanks Optional, I'll keep you posted.

So I've spoken with the KYC over the phone again, another pointless conversation, this time the operator wanted to see my contract with the company I'm at (which has now expired anyway) and my airbnb full statements with screenshots and all haha. I declined. They'll let me know.....

Wow, they are really putting you through the ringer here.

Try not to decline anything out right though. Once they can say you have declined KYC they can lawfully just do nothing more and keep hold of your money indefinitely.

Just say that you uncomfortable about supplying that amount of personal information to a bookmaker and would like to get some advice, or can they accept something else instead is also a good response.

**Optional** · 01-11-20, 01:48 AM

Are you in UK?

If he amount of money justfies it maybe seek out some expert advice now. There are a bunch of legal firms with specialists in UKGC regulations now and you can probably do an initial consultation for free to ask about options.

**satana** · 01-29-20, 09:16 PM

The account has been shut down for good by them. This is unfortunate as the video streaming was definitely helpful as it was one of the few which would never freeze. Yes, it was a UK-based account, they kept mentioning the fact that I spend too many months in my home country instead of UK, I've been too busy at work to follow up with this, I'll seek assistance from the suggested channels as soon I've more spare time. As it stands I'm just down to Pinny, one bookie, compared to the 30ish(?) I could choose from back in 2005, funny how this industry evolved.

**Optional** · 01-29-20, 10:04 PM

Originally posted by satana

The account has been shut down for good by them. This is unfortunate as the video streaming was definitely helpful as it was one of the few which would never freeze. Yes, it was a UK-based account, they kept mentioning the fact that I spend too many months in my home country instead of UK, I've been too busy at work to follow up with this, I'll seek assistance from the suggested channels as soon I've more spare time. As it stands I'm just down to Pinny, one bookie, compared to the 30ish(?) I could choose from back in 2005, funny how this industry evolved.

Don't you just love all the benefits regulation brings

**semibluff** · 01-30-20, 11:36 AM

UK regulations are set to become even tighter. From April 14 2020 it will no longer be possible to use credìt cárds to gamble.

**Virgin** · 01-30-20, 07:51 PM

I'm a UK punter and will try to address some points that have been made so far.

1. Win or lose, it doesn't matter. You have probably hit a threshold for deposits into your account, at which point their fraud alerts will have triggered them to look into your account. I know of one person who had the same experience about 4 or 5 years ago; they got paid and had the account closed, as Bet365 wasn't completely satisfied with the answers.

2. The UKGC is pushing books to verify that players have sourced their funds legitimately. It is a licensing requirement and there's big fines if books ignore this. Whether Bet365 is abusing this depends on your level of deposits...

3. Bet365 is a major operator. It's the biggest book in the UK. The owners are worth an absolute fortune.

4. Complaining to IBAS. You should do it, as it's your next logical route, but they are completely useless. They are funded by the bookmakers, but are expected to independently adjudicate on the behaviour of those that pay their wages. Complete conflict of interest.

5. The UKGC is even more hopeless. Almost nailed on that they will pass the buck and wash their hands of you.

I do believe they are still holding a girls million + pound horse parlay from 2017 as it was a 25,000 pound wager and they took the bet but after the win accuse her of colluding and not having the source of wealth to purchase the parlay. They book, they need to pay it.

I think that this has now been settled out of court. The long and the short of it is that a 19 year old student supposedly whacked £25,000 into her account and parlayed a load of bad each way races, winning in excess of £1m. Bet365 decided not to pay, as they believed that a third party was operating the account, in violation of its Terms And Conditions.

I'd say it's a certainty that a third party was operating the account, but (a) they took a bet with a £1m liability on races that were very punter-friendly, so are we honestly meant to believe that they only noticed the bet once it had won? and (b) it opens up a huge can of worms; for example, people sticking a £5 bet on for their mate - are they now into the realms of third party operation and so bets should be void?

The account has been shut down for good by them.

Have you been paid?

**satana** · 08-12-20, 11:32 AM

Originally posted by Virgin

Have you been paid?

The account was empty when all this began.
I tried to register to bet365.it and I couldn't because of this issue with the .com.
The .it operates with totally different regulation by the italian government but still asked me everything the .com was asking me.

Originally posted by Virgin

4. Complaining to IBAS. You should do it, as it's your next logical route, but they are completely useless. They are funded by the bookmakers, but are expected to independently adjudicate on the behaviour of those that pay their wages. Complete conflict of interest.

Ibas 'focuses on the correct and fair settlement of the bet/game/transaction' which does not apply to my case.