Trustpilot Under Fire for Hosting Reviews of Illegal Gambling Sites
Trustpilot, the prominent consumer reviews website that promises to help users "find a company you can trust," is currently hosting ratings and reviews for illegal casinos, raising significant concerns among Members of Parliament regarding the potential dangers to consumers. This development has sparked a serious debate in Westminster about the responsibilities of online platforms in protecting vulnerable individuals from unlicensed gambling operators.
Unlicensed Casinos and Their Dangerous Impact
In recent years, the United Kingdom has witnessed a troubling influx of unlicensed casino operators, many of which have been linked to severe financial harm, gambling addiction, and even tragic cases of suicide. These illicit sites often specifically target individuals who are attempting to limit their gambling activities by "self-excluding" from licensed and regulated operators, exploiting their vulnerabilities for profit.
Despite these well-documented risks, Trustpilot continues to host reviews for some of the largest unlicensed gambling platforms. A recent investigation conducted by the Guardian and Investigate Europe into the illegal Santeda casino network exposed this practice, revealing that Trustpilot presents these sites as if they were legitimate, reputable businesses.
Guardian Analysis Reveals Specific Brands
Detailed analysis by the Guardian identified reviews on Trustpilot for several brands associated with the Santeda network, including MyStake, Velobet, and Goldenbet. Crucially, none of these operators hold a valid licence from the UK Gambling Commission, the official regulatory body. Offering gambling services without such a licence constitutes a criminal offence under British law.
On its platform, Trustpilot hosted review pages that praised these unlicensed sites for their supposed qualities, such as a wide variety of slot machine games and fast website loading speeds. Furthermore, the platform also featured review pages for so-called "affiliate" websites, which are designed to drive traffic and customers toward these illegal gambling operations.
Political and Regulatory Response
A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) expressed deep concern regarding the presence of these reviews on Trustpilot. "We are deeply concerned about all forms of illegal gambling, including the growing number of unlicensed online casinos," the spokesperson stated. They emphasized that this situation underscores the critical importance of the government's newly established illegal gambling taskforce, which was announced with £26 million in funding during the November budget.
"We need urgent collective action from all parties to protect consumers and ensure that those who want to gamble are directed to the regulated market, where they can do so safely," the DCMS added, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach to safeguard the public.
Labour MP Alex Ballinger, who has actively campaigned for stricter gambling regulations, voiced his alarm over the Trustpilot reviews. He noted that Trustpilot is "intended to reassure the public of the trustworthiness of a business," making the hosting of illegal casino reviews particularly problematic. "There is no justification for promoting sites that are not permitted to operate in the UK and are contributing to increased gambling harm and tax evasion," Ballinger asserted.
Trustpilot's Stance and Actions
In response to the controversy, Trustpilot issued a statement asserting that it "takes the risks associated with unlicensed gambling extremely seriously and has ongoing systems and processes in place to identify and take action against these types of businesses on our platform." The company clarified that illegal businesses are "not permitted on Trustpilot" and that it enforces an internal policy to remove them, claiming to have taken down 3,400 profiles linked to unlicensed gambling in just the past week.
However, Trustpilot also emphasized that it "does not endorse or verify the legitimacy of businesses. We are an open platform where consumers can share experiences, and the presence of a profile does not imply regulatory approval or licensing." While the company removed review pages for affiliate websites after being contacted by the Guardian, it did not initially remove reviews for the illegal operators themselves that were flagged in the investigation.
"We have reviewed the specific examples you shared and have taken action on those that breached our policies," Trustpilot later stated. The company acknowledged that "the growth of unlicensed and offshore gambling operators is a broader industry challenge" and committed to monitoring the situation closely and adapting its enforcement strategies as necessary.
The Human Cost and Broader Scrutiny
The issue of unlicensed gambling carries a profound human cost. In January, an inquest concluded that unlicensed operators were part of the "factual matrix" that led to the suicide of 36-year-old Ollie Long, highlighting the devastating real-world consequences of these illicit operations.
The illegal gambling market is now facing increasing scrutiny amid concerns that it is expanding rapidly and deliberately targeting vulnerable consumers. This includes individuals who have registered with GamStop, the UK-wide self-exclusion scheme designed to help people bar themselves from gambling sites. The presence of reviews for these illegal platforms on a trusted site like Trustpilot complicates efforts to direct consumers toward safe, regulated alternatives and underscores the ongoing challenges in combating illegal online gambling.
