‘Piegate’ Penalty Prompts UK Warning On Novelty Bets

An £84,000 penalty package paid by Tabcorp’s Sun Bets for violations including last year’s “piegate” controversy highlights the UK Gambling Commission’s intent to crack down on self-exclusion failures and sets new standards for novelty bets.

The Australian bookmaker’s UK venture was penalised on Friday for improperly managing risks associated with two novelty bets — that a reserve goalkeeper would eat a pie during the match and that a spectator would streak.

During the investigation it was also revealed that Sun Bets had allowed more than 100 self-excluded customers to gamble using duplicate accounts.