Sky Betting and Gaming Halts UK Affiliate Programme Due to Mounting Regulatory Pressure

The UK-based gambling company Sky Betting and Gaming revealed its intentions to end its UK Affiliate Programme, saying that the move is due to recent rulings and regulatory pressure by the UK Gambling Commission.

The gambling operator reminded that clause 13.2 of its affiliates’ Agreement allows it to terminate the Agreement with immediate effect after providing its affiliates with a written notice. Now, the company has decided to provide its affiliates with a 28-day notice of termination, with the Agreement set to be officially ended on October 2nd, 2017.

Sky Betting and Gaming has also informed its affiliates that as of October 2nd, they must stop promoting the company’s websites to customers and remove all live links to Sky Betting and Gaming’s websites and intellectual property. The gambling and betting operator’s affiliates were also reminded they need to return all confidential information related to the company they have been given the right to hold.

The company further announced that its Affiliate Hub portal is to stop working on October 2nd, with all commission arrangements for its customers set to be ceased at this date. Sky Betting and Gaming noted that the final payment cycle for its affiliates will start at the end of September, and the full amounts of outstanding balances are planned to be paid. The payments are scheduled to be available in accounts on or around October 20th, 2017.

Reasons for the Affiliate Programme Halt

The British gambling operator has pointed out two main reasons for its choice to bring its Affiliate Programme to an end.

As mentioned above, Sky Betting and Gaming is blaming the regulatory landscape in the country for the decision to terminate its Affiliate Programme. The company explained that the regulatory conditions of the UK gambling industry have become more requiring to operators that have been recently facing increased obligations in terms of their regulatory responsibilities and legislation compliance.

So, in order to keep its operations in the country, Sky Betting and Gaming needs to make sure that it complies with UK gambling regulations. As the operator has felt that its Affiliate Programme is no longer capable of being successful in such regulatory conditions, it has now decided to end it. What is more, another reason for the Affiliate Programme termination is the fact that Sky Betting and Gaming has recognised the output of affiliates management as a great risk to its business in regards to local regulators.

Lately, UK gambling regulators have been focused on tightening the conditions in which local casino, betting and gaming companies are operating. The Government has been trying to clamp down the negative effects that gambling could have on more vulnerable players, in order to protect customers from problem gambling behaviour and gambling addictions.

The major regulatory body of the country – the UK Gambling Commission has been aimed at making the gambling environment more fair and transparent, as well as to raise players’ awareness of the possible negative effects of gambling. Local regulators have created a special self-exclusion scheme especially for more vulnerable players, in order to provide them with the opportunity to protect themselves by self-excluding themselves from gambling in land-based venues and online gambling websites.