Betting under a different identity

[HFG12]

I've been doing matched betting for a while now as a decent side earner. Anyone who does this will know that the bookies restrict your accounts after a while so you end up asking family and friends to open accounts for you. I know this isn't strictly illegal but it is against bookmaker T&Cs - so while it's not ideal, if you trust the person to pay you at the end then all is well and above board.

Recently though I've been talking to some acquaintances who have heard of a slightly different way of getting accounts - and it sounds a bit more questionable to me. Look through Facebook and you will see a number of groups advertising to pay for valid photo ID and proof of address, with the goal to opening betting accounts in your name and using them for the free bets and concessions. I joined one of these groups and was soon messaged by the group admin who began to ask me about any previous betting accounts I'd had and so on. They then told me to participate I would have to sign up for a bank card and post it off to them - this is so they can move their money into the accounts to bet without hassle.

It sounds fairly straightforward when explained in that way but when looking at the stark facts you have to question whether any of this is ok. When you send money from your bank account, you will always be warned about not giving away details or allowing people to send money on your behalf, but if you have effectively sold access a bank account and agreed to have it accessed for a specific purpose, what are the legal ramifications (if any) for both the user and the participant? And does it make a difference if an individual were to actually make a 'profit' through using the account? I was told that once all the offers were completed, I would have the option of having the card and account returned to me or could request to close the bank account altogether. Overall nobody exactly 'loses' money apart from the bookmaker accounts. There are thousands of participants on social media, going back a good few years.

So, is this legal? And if not, why is it practiced openly on social media without anyone in particular looking? What charges could potentially be brought against someone participating?

[jaguarsuk]

I've been doing matched betting for a while now as a decent side earner. Anyone who does this will know that the bookies restrict your accounts after a while so you end up asking family and friends to open accounts for you. I know this isn't strictly illegal but it is against bookmaker T&Cs - so while it's not ideal, if you trust the person to pay you at the end then all is well and above board.

Recently though I've been talking to some acquaintances who have heard of a slightly different way of getting accounts - and it sounds a bit more questionable to me. Look through Facebook and you will see a number of groups advertising to pay for valid photo ID and proof of address, with the goal to opening betting accounts in your name and using them for the free bets and concessions. I joined one of these groups and was soon messaged by the group admin who began to ask me about any previous betting accounts I'd had and so on. They then told me to participate I would have to sign up for a bank card and post it off to them - this is so they can move their money into the accounts to bet without hassle.

It sounds fairly straightforward when explained in that way but when looking at the stark facts you have to question whether any of this is ok. When you send money from your bank account, you will always be warned about not giving away details or allowing people to send money on your behalf, but if you have effectively sold access a bank account and agreed to have it accessed for a specific purpose, what are the legal ramifications (if any) for both the user and the participant? And does it make a difference if an individual were to actually make a 'profit' through using the account? I was told that once all the offers were completed, I would have the option of having the card and account returned to me or could request to close the bank account altogether. Overall nobody exactly 'loses' money apart from the bookmaker accounts. There are thousands of participants on social media, going back a good few years.

So, is this legal? And if not, why is it practiced openly on social media without anyone in particular looking? What charges could potentially be brought against someone participating?

Of course it is illegal.

The reason the bookies must restrict you to one account per person is that after a certain amount of 'winnings' from gambling you are obliged to complete a tax return to pay tax on it.

If a person uses someone else's account to gamble they can go above that threshold and not have to worry about being caught out not paying the tax on it.

And if that person is caught you would be looking at aiding them in their tax evasion as a charge.

Other risks, you are not in control or have access to the bookies account, so how will you know if they are using up all the offers or using it for something more illicit?

You don't know where the money going into a bank account in your name is coming from. If it is from the proceeds of criminal activity then you are money laundering for the person you have given the bank account over to.

It's a nice way to clean your money, pay the dirty money into your bank account, load it on to a bookies app and bet on Man Utd to win when they are winning 2-0 in the 98th min with a return of pennies on top of the original stake.

Withdraw from the bookies and there's come nice clean money right there, with no risk to the person doing it.

Why are people doing it on social media?

Because they are stupid or in some cases desperate, just because you don't know of any body who has been caught doing it and been punished for it, that doesn't mean they haven't been.

And you don't know every person in that group, maybe that group in under investigation and some of the members of it are under cover law enforcement gathering evidence.

Re read your first sentence, be grateful for what you have got and don't let greed lead you down a path that could ruin your entire life.