Merkur Slots UK fined almost £100,000 for exploiting vulnerable customer

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The Gambling Commission has fined Merkur Slots UK almost £100,000 after staff were found to have exploited a vulnerable customer.

A poignant, sensitive situation was uncovered following an investigation by the Guardian with the operator failing in its duty of care. 

The late Wendy Hughes, a cancer patient then aged 64, lost around £2,000 in a Merkur outlet in Stockport over two sessions within less than 24 hours. 

Merkur Slots is a subsidiary of the German-based Merkur parent group, a major European gambling entity.

Ms Hughes had developed a gambling addiction in a previous job role working for a bookmaker, which appears to have contributed to this episode in November 2023. 

While she was employed by Coral, Hughes began to get attracted to digital roulette machines, otherwise known as fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

Staff were encouraged to play the machines as part of their duties, on a free demonstration, to attract interest and intrigue from customers. The Guardian detailed an internal email, which set instructions for an early shift. It read, “Clock in. Clean toilets. Play KBR [Key Bet Roulette] to generate interest.”

Within the Merkur adult gaming centre, Hughes had accrued significant losses, but the staff did not intervene. Instead, they encouraged her. 

Staff were aware their customer had exceeded daily withdrawal limits from her bank account, but she simply waited until midnight to access more funds to use at the 24-hour facility. 

Internal records even detailed how staff would reserve her favourite gaming terminal with a ‘hold card’. 

Ms Hughes could have used a cash machine inside the Merkur venue but she did not want her bank statements to reveal her activity to family members.  

Despite growing warnings and red flags, there was no intervention and staff did not conduct due checks to ensure the customer was in control of her betting activity.

All of this information was uncovered by a Gambling Commission probe, but sadly, Ms Hughes passed away before the regulator posted its findings.

Jackie Olden, Wendy’s daughter, has since been campaigning for more stringent restrictions on the gambling outlets, with adult centres (AGCs) permitted to offer slot machines at up to £5 per spin.

Olden commented: “I’m happy they investigated Merkur but after the devastation caused to our family, the size of this fine doesn’t go far enough. This case emphasises the urgent need for an independent gambling ombudsman so that customers have access to recourse when things go wrong.”

Andrew Rhodes, the chief executive of the Gambling Commission, implored that operators must meet their responsibilities, including training staff to take appropriate actions.

In a statement, it was confirmed Merkur had been fined £95,450 for its failings. 

“This was a clearcut case of an operator failing to follow rules aimed at keeping consumers safe from harm,” said Rhodes. 

“In recent years there have been a number of cases of online gambling businesses failing to meet their social responsibility obligations but this investigation shows that land-based operators also need to make sure they are minimising the risk to customers experiencing harms associated with gambling,” he added.

“All operators should make sure that not only do they have policies and procedures aimed at preventing harm in place, but also that staff are effectively trained to follow and implement them.”

To learn more, visit our responsible gambling at casinos page which also offers resources and advice on where to seek help if needed.