Betfair Account Restrictions & closed accounts - Getting them removed and accounts reopened

News, chat and debate about the Betfair betting exchange.
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Euler
Posts: 24700
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 1:39 pm
Location: Bet Angel HQ

Good to hear this escalation path is working!
Custom Cut
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 22, 2021 5:00 pm

Custom Cut wrote:
Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:33 pm
Custom Cut wrote:
Sat May 22, 2021 5:19 pm
Hello everyone, new user here (only really registering to post in this thread) because I think I might as well add my voice to the chorus here. I've been betting on betfair for years but started to scale things up last year. I've only broken even since then but have made significant deposits. In April I was sent an email telling me I would need to prove my source of wealth or else my deposits would be severely limited. Like many, my reaction was just to not make any deposits as I already have enough money in my account. Then on Monday my account was closed abruptly, I've sent what documents I have but have heard nothing back, other than an acknowledgement the documents have been received.

I just don't get it. I haven't asked to make any more deposits, I wasn't warned my account could be closed if I failed to provide documents, and I'm a breakeven customer over the last year. I'm concerned I might not get my account back as my source of wealth is somewhat irregular and I can't see them being satisfied to let me deposit large sums again, although I would settle for simply being allowed to bet again. It just seems like a ridiculous way to run a company, I'm not expecting any major help from this forum as it seems everyone is having to go through this crap, but I might as well make my complaint known. It's also infuriating that I can't find anyone at betfair who knows what they're talking about, the live chat are happy to help but know nothing, and they're very slow to respond to emails.

Looking at the length of time it took Zippus to get sorted I'm feeling pessimistic.
Got my account back today, took them 2 weeks to respond to the first email and thought the process could take forever, I did e-mail the CEO as advised on another thread on this forum and that may have expedited the process as I was able to interact pretty quickly over the last couple of days both through emails and over the phone.

As for the level of details they eventually requested, it's roughly what I would've imagined given they were looking for a source of wealth. I still think it's a pretty intrusive thing to ask for though.
They're back, threatening to close my account unless I provide proof of income. Apparently my source of wealth is too long ago, and even though I've told them I don't need to make any more deposits, their argument is that I may not be able to pay my day to day expenses. Apparently they're doing a proof of income check to see if you have enough money for the rest of your life too, and it doesn't matter how much money in the bank you have (in my case 6 figures). I really don't know what to do.

One thing about this which is very sneaky is how they never tell you up front that your account is at risk of being closed. Many people will see the initial email and think "fine, I won't deposit" and the first time it happened my account was closed by surprise. This time I replied to their initial email informing me the deposits had been limited and only then was I told the account was at risk of being closed.
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jamesedwards
Posts: 2234
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2018 6:16 pm

Custom Cut wrote:
Tue Nov 23, 2021 1:06 pm
Custom Cut wrote:
Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:33 pm
Custom Cut wrote:
Sat May 22, 2021 5:19 pm
Hello everyone, new user here (only really registering to post in this thread) because I think I might as well add my voice to the chorus here. I've been betting on betfair for years but started to scale things up last year. I've only broken even since then but have made significant deposits. In April I was sent an email telling me I would need to prove my source of wealth or else my deposits would be severely limited. Like many, my reaction was just to not make any deposits as I already have enough money in my account. Then on Monday my account was closed abruptly, I've sent what documents I have but have heard nothing back, other than an acknowledgement the documents have been received.

I just don't get it. I haven't asked to make any more deposits, I wasn't warned my account could be closed if I failed to provide documents, and I'm a breakeven customer over the last year. I'm concerned I might not get my account back as my source of wealth is somewhat irregular and I can't see them being satisfied to let me deposit large sums again, although I would settle for simply being allowed to bet again. It just seems like a ridiculous way to run a company, I'm not expecting any major help from this forum as it seems everyone is having to go through this crap, but I might as well make my complaint known. It's also infuriating that I can't find anyone at betfair who knows what they're talking about, the live chat are happy to help but know nothing, and they're very slow to respond to emails.

Looking at the length of time it took Zippus to get sorted I'm feeling pessimistic.
Got my account back today, took them 2 weeks to respond to the first email and thought the process could take forever, I did e-mail the CEO as advised on another thread on this forum and that may have expedited the process as I was able to interact pretty quickly over the last couple of days both through emails and over the phone.

As for the level of details they eventually requested, it's roughly what I would've imagined given they were looking for a source of wealth. I still think it's a pretty intrusive thing to ask for though.
They're back, threatening to close my account unless I provide proof of income. Apparently my source of wealth is too long ago, and even though I've told them I don't need to make any more deposits, their argument is that I may not be able to pay my day to day expenses. Apparently they're doing a proof of income check to see if you have enough money for the rest of your life too, and it doesn't matter how much money in the bank you have (in my case 6 figures). I really don't know what to do.

One thing about this which is very sneaky is how they never tell you up front that your account is at risk of being closed. Many people will see the initial email and think "fine, I won't deposit" and the first time it happened my account was closed by surprise. This time I replied to their initial email informing me the deposits had been limited and only then was I told the account was at risk of being closed.
FFS! What are you supposed to do if Betfair IS your source of past and future expected wealth?
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Derek27
Posts: 23468
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 11:44 am
Location: UK

jamesedwards wrote:
Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:15 pm
FFS! What are you supposed to do if Betfair IS your source of past and future expected wealth?
Nobody told these idiots in short trousers that the exchange is a zero-sum game and people make a living from it. They think it's a recreational hobby and we're all losers.
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ANGELS15
Posts: 844
Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:57 am

Derek27 wrote:
Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:27 pm
jamesedwards wrote:
Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:15 pm
FFS! What are you supposed to do if Betfair IS your source of past and future expected wealth?
Nobody told these idiots in short trousers that the exchange is a zero-sum game and people make a living from it. They think it's a recreational hobby and we're all losers.
Yes it seems just like the major bookmakers, they just want 100s of 1000s of 50p (In Betfair's case £2) punters. The thing with that though is that those kind of punters don't go to the exchanges.
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Derek27
Posts: 23468
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 11:44 am
Location: UK

Not only do Betfair close accounts, but to really rub salt into the wound, you lose your £10 free bet as well. :lol:
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TheFootyDoctor
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 9:15 pm

Can someone share with me the esculation email address?

My situation is a little different I have by mistake excluded myself from Betfair thinking I was excluding myself from a reality check (doing two things at once) I have been sent to Paddy Power first and told there is nothing I can do...

Item 1 I want the 5k back from my account
Item 2 Ideally want Betfair account back open
Item 3 Is Smarkets or Betdaw viable if item 2 does not happen?

please help...
Anbell
Posts: 2004
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2019 2:31 am

TheFootyDoctor wrote:
Thu Dec 16, 2021 4:08 pm
Can someone share with me the esculation email address?

My situation is a little different I have by mistake excluded myself from Betfair thinking I was excluding myself from a reality check (doing two things at once) I have been sent to Paddy Power first and told there is nothing I can do...

Item 1 I want the 5k back from my account
Item 2 Ideally want Betfair account back open
Item 3 Is Smarkets or Betdaw viable if item 2 does not happen?

please help...
its in this thread somewhere
TheFootyDoctor
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 9:15 pm

Thanks I found it and this is a great path for esculation I have already had the exectuive office call me to discuss.
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jamesedwards
Posts: 2234
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2018 6:16 pm

TheFootyDoctor wrote:
Fri Dec 17, 2021 11:23 am
Thanks I found it and this is a great path for esculation I have already had the exectuive office call me to discuss.
Will be interested to hear how you got on. Did you self-exclude from Paddy Power or Betfair?
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wearthefoxhat
Posts: 3205
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2018 9:55 am

If Betfair are reading any of this thread, here's an example of how they should communicate with their customers.
(taken from twitter) They can edit where appropriate.


WSOP1.png
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ANGELS15
Posts: 844
Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:57 am

I just thought I'd share a recent experience. I ran into a betting aquaintance that I hadn't seen since just before the pandemic. I knew him from a particular Hills shop that I sometimes go in to watch the shows and my trades.

This particular punter is very shrewd and a good judge of greyhound racing. He tends to bet on bookmaker specials like total winning distances for meetings, race favourite points for win and place across meetings etc plus general sport. He's particularly good at landing trebles and accumulators and tends to stake £100+. He's very calm and collected while bettiing and takes it all in his stride. Not sure what he does for a living but get the impression hes's likely senior or high up in his work certainly not short of money and definately comfortable with the level of his betting.

I believe he's probably been betting all his adult life (he looks age mid 50s to 60s). It's quite common for him to collect around £800 or so when one of his trebles lands.

It turns out he'd moved about 30 miles away and had started betting with Hills near where he's living. very recently hes been asked to provide proof of his income to support his betting. He told them where to go and they've said he can't bet with them unless he complies. Recently he landed a treble which comes to about £800 but Hills refuse to pay out unless he complies with their source of funds check.

He told me they take pictures of punters and build up a profile. He tried to bet in another shop and was refused there. He tried to bet with Ladbrokes but very quickly the same thing seems to be happening there.

I wondered how long it would take for this to reach the high street and here we are.

What's distrurbing about this for us traders is not just a source of funds check but even a potential threat of limiting time connected to online accounts. Many of us run automation which means being logged into bet angel for the whole day.
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wearthefoxhat
Posts: 3205
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2018 9:55 am

ANGELS15 wrote:
Sun Jan 23, 2022 5:26 pm
I just thought I'd share a recent experience. I ran into a betting aquaintance that I hadn't seen since just before the pandemic. I knew him from a particular Hills shop that I sometimes go in to watch the shows and my trades.

This particular punter is very shrewd and a good judge of greyhound racing. He tends to bet on bookmaker specials like total winning distances for meetings, race favourite points for win and place across meetings etc plus general sport. He's particularly good at landing trebles and accumulators and tends to stake £100+. He's very calm and collected while bettiing and takes it all in his stride. Not sure what he does for a living but get the impression hes's likely senior or high up in his work certainly not short of money and definately comfortable with the level of his betting.

I believe he's probably been betting all his adult life (he looks age mid 50s to 60s). It's quite common for him to collect around £800 or so when one of his trebles lands.

It turns out he'd moved about 30 miles away and had started betting with Hills near where he's living. very recently hes been asked to provide proof of his income to support his betting. He told them where to go and they've said he can't bet with them unless he complies. Recently he landed a treble which comes to about £800 but Hills refuse to pay out unless he complies with their source of funds check.

He told me they take pictures of punters and build up a profile. He tried to bet in another shop and was refused there. He tried to bet with Ladbrokes but very quickly the same thing seems to be happening there.

I wondered how long it would take for this to reach the high street and here we are.

What's distrurbing about this for us traders is not just a source of funds check but even a potential threat of limiting time connected to online accounts. Many of us run automation which means being logged into bet angel for the whole day.
I haven't bet seriously in a betting shop for a long time, so can only comment how I think they will handle things going forward.

I would anticipate that they observe the total stake of the customer. So that chap, betting £100 cash several times, maybe 5 times, might meet a head office criteria to get their identity checks. Of course the customer can refuse and then leave.

From what you say, taking photographs and seemingly sharing them with other shops nearby, smacks of how casino's operate when dealing with cheaters/advantage players (card counters). If it is advanced in that way, he won't get any sort of bet on in the UK.

Withholding their winnings though is below the belt for sure. Sounds like a member of staff being somewhat too zealous. A phone call to head office or their area manager would sort that one out.

I for one wouldn't want any personal data/information shared with the local betting staff, not even Betfair if ever they asked.

I also predict, many customers would also refuse and we will be hearing of a lot more betting shops closing in the next year or so.
pedro1886
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2020 8:36 pm

After having my BF exhange account for over 3 years I received an email on fri 28th jan stating my account has been suspended.
After talking to live chat they said the security team wanted driver license, copy of a bill, pictures of cards using to deposit and screen shot of online bank linked to the card

I provided everything and Im a little worried that it's not been resolved yet. The only people I may have is that I hadn't updated my address from 6 months ago.

I've done it now & provided everything. After speaking to a few users, small issues are usually sorted in minutes.

sent an email to escalations and got the ping back stating this email is no longer checked.

I get different answers on live chat from "the security team are very busy" to "its to do with gambling laws"
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MobiusGrey
Posts: 289
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2018 8:10 pm

pedro1886 wrote:
Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:37 pm
After having my BF exhange account for over 3 years I received an email on fri 28th jan stating my account has been suspended.
After talking to live chat they said the security team wanted driver license, copy of a bill, pictures of cards using to deposit and screen shot of online bank linked to the card

I provided everything and Im a little worried that it's not been resolved yet. The only people I may have is that I hadn't updated my address from 6 months ago.

I've done it now & provided everything. After speaking to a few users, small issues are usually sorted in minutes.

sent an email to escalations and got the ping back stating this email is no longer checked.

I get different answers on live chat from "the security team are very busy" to "its to do with gambling laws"
Sorry can't offer you any advice but I did wonder if I was seeing more liquidity over at Betdaq recently. These continued issues with Betfair may explain it.
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