The International Business Times reports that an online sportsbook bonus abuser has been jailed for three years. Andre Ospiau, a native Belarusian, had an elaborate scheme that involved bank accounts setup in false names, online eWallet accounts and reportedly more than 5,000 scans of passports and other forms of ID. The scam artist was prosecuted in the UK.
Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith: I expect and intend that you will be deported at the end of your sentence.
In
an industry where competing companies battle for new players, bonuses
are used as a tool to lure in business. Scam artists look to capitalise
by illegally hording bonuses, operating in regions where forged IDs are
something of an art form, and have until now been punished solely by
having their accounts closed and standing to lose any profits in exposed
accounts.
SBR receives dozens of ID disputes from players per
year; an alarming percentage of these disputes coming from Eastern
European countries. Sportsbooks are refining security methods to better
spot multi-accounters, as well as enforcing additional Know Your
Customer (KYC) guidelines. Some businesses also choose to not offer
bonuses to certain countries.
SBR hopes that news of the prosecution will prompt scam artists to give a second thought to defrauding online gaming companies.