Frequently Asked Questions
Q: HOW MUCH DOES THE SERVICE COST?
There is no charge to consumers.Q: HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO REACH A DECISION?
Each case is different, so it is impossible to be precise about this. However, once the case file has been completed, with both the consumer and the bookmaker having submitted their side of the dispute along with supporting evidence and documentation, the case must be heard within 90 days. The most recent data, for 2021/2022, shows that cases were actually heard an average of 36 days after the case file has been completed.Q: IS THE DECISION BINDING ON ME AND THE BOOKMAKER?
Rulings are not legally binding on customers, so the option to pursue the issue through the court system is still available to customers who are unhappy with the the outcome of the adjudication.The Gambling Commission (the 'competent authority') says that rulings must be binding on gambling businesses up to the value of £10,000. If the value of the dispute exceeds this amount, then the bookmaker may also choose to take the dispute to court although, as yet, this has never occurred.
Q: IS THE PROCESS FAIR AND TRANSPARENT?
Absolutely. The members of the Committee are independent and they are required to declare any conflicts of interest that might arise in a given case. The hearings are conducted in person, so the consumer can present their own case and can see at first hand how the process is handled if they choose to attend.Generally speaking, all cases have a winner and a loser. We recognise, therefore, that the losing party may be disappointed with the outcome. Even so, we have found that most people (consumers and bookmakers alike) accept that the process is fair despite the verdict going against them.
Q: CAN I APPEAL AGAINST MY RULING?
Yes, if you want to appeal you may do so within 40 days of receiving your ruling. You will need to present some new evidence that was not made available when we first considered the case, or demonstrate that the Committee has made a serious mistake in reaching its decision.However, we do not conduct reviews of our adjudications just because the recipient (consumer or bookmaker) disagrees with them.
Q: IF YOU FIND IN MY FAVOUR CAN YOU GUARANTEE THAT I WILL GET PAID?
It is a condition of being registered with IBAS that gambling businesses operators agree to abide by our adjudications and in almost all cases there will be no problems.If you receive a ruling in your favour but encounter difficulty getting paid then please contact our office immediately. We would strike off our register any company that refused to comply with an IBAS ruling (unless they lodged a successful appeal or overturned the decision in court) but we have no legal powers to force a company to make a payment.
If our Panel adjudicate in your favour we will do everything that we can to ensure that you are paid and there are no problems in 99% of the cases that we consider.
Q: ARE THERE ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE YOU WON’T ADJUDICATE ON A DISPUTE?
We will always try to take on any dispute, but there are some reasons for declining to adjudicate. These include where: -- There is still an unresolved oppportunity to conclude the dispute amicably between the consumer and the bookmaker
- The dispute is vexatious or frivolous
- The dispute is more than 12 months old
- The dispute is either too legally technical for us to deal with or a matter that requires police intervention, such as where the dispute involves an allegation of a crime being committed
- The dispute relates to problem gambling rather than a disagreement over the payout for a bet
- The dispute did not occur on a British racecourse and, therefore, we have no remit to adjudicate