🔒 🔒 Fast and furious – Ladbrokes and Neds customers advised they are part of in-play legal case

Thousands of Neds and Ladbrokes customers have been contacted by their bookmaker telling them they have been automatically included in a class action against parent company Entain, unless they choose to opt out.

The Supreme Court of Victoria has ordered that customers who may be affected by the proceeding receive a formal notice from Entain advising them of their rights in the case, known as Bergman v Entain Group Pty Limited.

The class action, being run by Maurice Blackburn, alleges Entain’s Fast Code system for placing in-play bets on sporting events was unlawful. Entain denies the allegations and is defending the case.

In the most recent statement of claim, Bergman said he lost $475 using Fast Code, however the inclusion of all customers may end up costing the bookmaker much more.

Under the court-approved notice, anyone who placed one or more live bets using a Fast Code between March 4, 2019 and March 4, 2025, and suffered loss or damage arising from those bets, may be a group member.

Entain’s records show recipients of the notice placed live bets during the relevant period.

Importantly, eligible customers do not need to sign up to take part.

The notice states that group members are automatically included in the proceeding unless they opt out by 4pm on October 8. Customers who do nothing will remain part of the class action and will be bound by any settlement or judgment.

The lawsuit centres on the Fast Code betting system, which allowed customers to select a bet online or through an app while sporting events were in play, then call the bookmaker and read out a code to finalise the wager.

The class action alleges this arrangement breached Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001 because in-play sports betting is generally prohibited unless the bet is made wholly by telephone.

According to the claim, customers may be entitled to compensation for losses incurred through Fast Code bets or, alternatively, refunds on losing bets if the contracts are found to be void or unenforceable.

“Group members will never have to pay “out of pocket” legal costs simply by remaining a group member in the class action,” the notice said.

“The Supreme Court of Victoria has made a “group costs order” in this proceeding. This means that if there is a successful outcome in the Neds/Ladbrokes Class Action, any legal costs payable to Maurice Blackburn will be calculated as 33 per cent of the amount of monetary compensation recovered for the group members through any successful settlement or judgment.”

However, there may be a twist: Entain may retain the right to seek restitution for winning bets made if it is found to have breached the law.

The same complainant, Jeremy Bergman, has brought a separate class action, again spearheaded by Maurice Blackburn, against Sportsbet. That Supreme Court case began on August 11 and involves an identical opt-out class action model.