Ministers were yesterday under pressure to pay compensation to Football Index victims
Ministers were yesterday under pressure to pay compensation to Football Index victims following claims the Government-backed regulator failed to protect customers.
The betting website, which styled itself as a ‘stock market for footballers’, went bust in March leaving fans with £90 million of open bets.
The Gambling Commission was accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ after it admitted the collapse followed a ten-month probe. Its actions are being investigated by an independent review expected to report next month.
Football Index customers have hired lawyers and want the Government to compensate them.
Matt Zarb-Cousin, director of Clean Up Gambling who supports the victims, said: ‘If the inquiry finds the commission culpable, then unless Football Index users are compensated by the Government they will have been treated as collateral damage.’
Andrew Rhodes, boss of the Gambling Commission, said that it could not be blamed for the collapse as ‘being regulated does not prevent a company going into administration.’
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