Will Hill and Paddy Power Betfair targeted in £1.5m problem gambling lawsuits

William Hill and Paddy Power Betfair are facing two separate lawsuits totalling £1.5m over stolen funds used by a gambling addict to place bets, according to reports in the Guardian newspaper.

Using funds stolen from clients while working in the property industry in Dubai, the individual bet £650,000 in two William Hill shops over a six-month period.

The man was later interviewed by police, but was not charged after agreeing to assist his victims in obtaining compensation from the bookmakers. He has since received treatment for his addiction via the Gordon Moody Association.

London law-firm Mackrell Turner Garrett, acting on behalf of several victims of the problem gambler, will reportedly launch a claim against William Hill for £600,000.  In the lawsuit, the firm alleges that William Hill did not meet its AML and problem gambling obligations by allowing the man to place the bets.

In addition, the man claims that he deposited large amounts of cash with the bookmaker prior to making bets without any prior verification, contravening source of wealth regulations. These claims are currently being investigated by the Gambling Commission.

A spokesperson for William Hill told the Guardian they had been made aware of the claims earlier this year when news of the fraud became public, but the individual involved had yet to provide them with further information to substantiate them.

In a separate lawsuit, two other victims of the gambling addict are suing fellow bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair for £965,000 for similar infractions on its Betfair Exchange in 2016.

In October, following a Gambling Commission investigation, Paddy Power Betfair agreed to pay a £2.2m penalty package over the failings, including a payment of £1.7m to support the National Responsible Gambling Strategy and a £498,508 disinvestment of the received funds.

A spokesman for Paddy Power Betfair declined to comment on the lawsuit.