Irish lottery operator allowed 16 self-excluded players to open accounts in 2022
Premier Lotteries Ireland had €150,000 withheld in payments as a result while four customers were sent marketing materials
Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) allowed 16 self-excluded players to open accounts last year in a significant breach of its licence.
As detailed in the Regulator of the National Lottery’s annual report, the watchdog established that 10 of the 16 customers to open accounts were able to purchase lottery tickets, totalling €3,292 in sales.
Four customers also received marketing emails from PLI.
According to the report, the customers were able to open accounts following an IT error which failed to register historical account closures.
In 2021, 126 accounts belonging to permanently self-excluded players were deleted in error by an algorithm designed to erase closed accounts after two years in order to adhere to data protection laws.
These deleted accounts, in theory, should have remained permanently closed, with account owners prevented from opening new accounts with similar details.
While PLI is not required to offer permanent self-exclusion to players, the operator introduced a self-exclusion option in 2019 to improve its responsible gambling output.
PLI since has offered to put in place a permanent self-exclusion system whereby it has the “operational means to determine that persons seeking to purchase tickets had not previously opted for permanent self-exclusion.”
In addition to finding the breach, the regulator withheld €150,000 in payments due to the operator as a punishment.
The funds were directed to the Exchequer for the use of good causes and represent the first withholding of monies owed to a lottery operator.
Total funds paid to PLI in 2022 under its entitlements amounted to €90m compared to €103m in 2021.
The regulator also noted it has the power to seek a financial sanction by the High Court should the operator further breach its self-exclusion responsibilities.