- Written by Nick Clark
- Local Democracy Reporting Service
A gambling addict claimed he was allowed to spend £100,000 at a bookmaker before staff intervened.
John said he visited Coral’s College Town branch in the Berkshires as many as three times a day for a year and even told staff that online gambling was prohibited.
But the 40-year-old said he was allowed to continue betting despite rules that state-run stores must intervene if they believe a gambler is at risk.
Coral has been contacted for comment.
“I don’t feel like I have to wake up every morning and spend money. But when I gamble, I bet a lot.”
John said he has spent more than £100,000 in Coral since moving to the area in December 2022 and estimates he has lost at least a third of that.
Industry regulator Gambling Commission said betting shops should seek to “minimize the risk” of harming customers.
This includes identifying and interacting with customers who may be at risk of harm from gambling.
“I’m not rich.”
John said the staff sometimes asked if it was okay to continue placing bets.
But he also claimed to have been given tips on how to get around bank account blocks, such as by betting small amounts at a time.
John said he had only spent £100,000 in a year once and when asked if he could afford to continue gambling, he stopped receiving services.
He said: “I probably go there once or twice a day and spend between £200 and £1,500 a day. They know me there. They know I work there. I know that, but I know that I’m not rich.”
He added: ‘I have a good job, I have savings and when I grow up I take out loans – one £20,000 loan and two £25,000 loans. But no one asked me where the money came from.”
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John’s story follows reports that the government is considering stricter affordability checks on gamblers to ensure they do not spend beyond their financial means.
He said he was responsible for his gambling habits, but said he felt Coral did not pay “adequate care and consideration” to its customers.
A spokesperson for the Gambling Commission would not comment on John’s case, instead saying: “Customer behavior may indicate that they are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, gambling-related harm. “If there is a concern that there is a problem, the operator must intervene.”
LDRS has contacted Coral and the Public Protection Partnership, which handles gambling licensing in Bracknell Forest, for comment, but has yet to receive a response from either.
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