Gambling Commission Issues £95,450 Penalty After Staff Exploited Cancer Patient at Adult Gaming Centre

The Gambling Commission has imposed a fine of £95,450 on Merkur Slots for failing to uphold social responsibility standards, following an incident involving a cancer patient at one of its “adult gaming centres” (AGCs). The case highlights serious lapses in customer safety practices at the high street operator, leading to substantial losses for a vulnerable individual.

Wendy Hughes, aged 64 at the time, was suffering from lung cancer when she lost nearly £2,000 in Merkur Slots’ Stockport branch during two separate visits lasting 16 hours in November 2023. Despite the company’s awareness of her escalating losses, staff continued to allow Hughes to withdraw more money from the cash machine to continue gambling.

Her daughter, Jackie Olden, has since campaigned for stricter regulations on AGCs. Speaking about the fine, she remarked, “I’m glad the investigation took place, but this penalty is insufficient given the damage caused to our family. This case highlights the need for an independent gambling ombudsman to ensure customers can seek justice when things go wrong.”

The Gambling Commission’s investigation found that while Merkur had established social responsibility protocols, the staff failed to implement them properly, exacerbating Hughes’s situation. Merkur has since taken steps to enhance its customer safety measures in response to the findings.

Andrew Rhodes, the chief executive of the Gambling Commission, expressed concern that land-based operators, like Merkur, need to prioritise customer welfare just as much as their online counterparts. He added, “Operators must ensure staff are trained to recognise the signs of gambling harm and intervene appropriately.”

This penalty serves as a stark reminder to the gambling industry of the importance of protecting vulnerable customers, particularly in high-stakes environments like AGCs. Merkur, one of the largest AGC operators in the UK, has more than 230 centres across the country.

The Gambling Commission urges those affected by problem gambling to seek support through services such as the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic and GamCare.