The UK newspaper The Daily Mirror reports that a nationwide scratchcard competition that was promoted in more than 300 gambling publications has been fined GBP100 000.
Called Cash Attack, the competition required players to match three symbols on the card and then call a 090 number to claim a online casinos prize, or text a keyword printed on the card.
Premium rate phoneline regulator PhonepayPlus received 95 complaints from people who said they replied by text, only to received further unsolicited texts at GBP 5 per week.
The “service” was provided by Cheshire-based Jackpot UK on lines courtesy of mobile gambling Interactive Group Limited of London.
Besides the fine, PhonepayPlus has ordered Mobile Interactive to refund victims and has banned it from scratchcard competitions until it implements “compliance advice”.
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