UK Gambling Operator Fined for Failing to Protect Vulnerable Player
Last modified: 24 July 2025, 09:39
Based on reporting by The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/)
After media reports, UK slot machine operator Merkur Slots was fined £95,450. The company failed to properly look after a customer who was later found to be a terminally ill cancer patient. The penalty was issued by the Gambling Commission following a detailed investigation into the company’s conduct at one of its land-based “adult gaming centres” in Stockport.
The case came to public attention after The Guardian reported on the treatment of Wendy Hughes. She is a 64-year-old woman who visited the Merkur venue twice in November 2023. During those two prolonged sessions, she lost almost £2,000. These gambling sessions, spanning a total of 16 hours, took place only months after she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Hughes had developed a gambling addiction while working at a betting shop — a tragic example of how easily vulnerable individuals can fall into a compulsive gambling problem. She died before the regulator finished its inquiry. Her daughter, Jackie Olden, has since become an advocate for stricter regulations on high street gambling establishments.
Olden expressed mixed feelings about the fine. She welcomed the investigation but criticised the small financial penalty.“I’m glad Merkur was held accountable,” she said, “but after everything our family went through, the amount seems too low. This shows why we need an independent gambling ombudsman — people need real options when things go wrong.”
The Gambling Commission confirmed that Merkur was sanctioned. The company, a subsidiary of a German parent firm, had breached its social responsibility obligations. According to Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, the operator failed to adhere to established policies intended to safeguard vulnerable individuals. Rhodes said land-based gambling companies have the same duty to keep customers safe as online non-Gamstop casinos. They must have clear rules and make sure trained staff follow them.
Internal documentation reviewed during the investigation showed that Merkur staff were aware Hughes was making repeated trips to withdraw more money. One worrying detail was that employees used a “hold card” to save Hughes’s favourite slot machine. This tactic can take advantage of common false beliefs in gambling. For example, some people wrongly think a win is more likely after many losses — a belief commonly seen among those showing symptoms of problem gambling. At no stage did staff assess whether Hughes was in control of her gambling or intervene to protect her welfare.
Although Merkur had formal safeguards and procedures in place, the Commission found that staff failed to enforce them.The regulator said the company fully cooperated during the process. It has since taken steps to improve customer protection protocols.
Merkur runs over 230 adult gaming centres across the UK. It is one of the biggest operators in the growing retail gambling sector, which is a major part of the UK’s £11 billion-a-year gambling industry. As of now, Merkur has not issued a public statement in response to the fine.
The case shows that there are still problems with protecting vulnerable people in land-based gambling venues. It also raises concerns about how well social responsibility rules are enforced and whether companies care more about profit than player safety.
Experts warn that unaddressed mental illness can often underpin gambling harm. People facing trauma, depression, or chronic illness are especially at risk. For those affected by gambling problems, help with a gambling addiction is available.
For those affected by gambling problems, help is available. In the UK, the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic can be reached at 020 7381 7722, while GamCare operates a 24-hour helpline at 0808 8020 133. In the United States, support is available through the National Council on Problem Gambling at 800-GAMBLER, and in Australia, Gambling Help Online is accessible at 1800 858 858. Financial advice for those in debt due to gambling can be found via the National Debt Helpline at 1800 007 007.
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