The Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS), founded in 1998, is a third party organisation that settles disputes between gambling establishments registered with IBAS and their customers in the United Kingdom. The organisation, which was originally part of the Sporting Life’s Green Seal service, was formerly known as the Independent Betting Arbitration Service. The company, headed by CEO Chris O’Keeffe, dropped Arbitration from the organisation’s name in 2007, opting instead to use Adjudication to better reflect its role after the enactment of the 2005 Gambling Act.
IBAS deals with several sectors in the realm of gambling. The sectors include:
-
Betting Exchanges;
-
Betting Intermediaries;
-
Betting Shops;
-
Greyhounds;
-
Greyhound Stadia Pool Betting;
-
Lotteries;
-
Online Gambling;
-
Gaming Machines;
-
Mobile Gambling;
-
Totalisator Betting.
IBAS is committed to:
-
Ensuring impartiality and fairness to both parties;
-
Looking at each case independently;
-
Adjudicating each case on its merits; taking into account bookmakers' rules;
-
Managing a comprehensive, up-to-date register of bookmakers who as members, have declared an intention to abide by I.B.A.S. rulings on betting disputes;
-
Maintaining a panel of experts (unconnected with the bookmaking industry) that possess the necessary experience and understanding to provide authoritative arbitration;
-
Providing the appropriate amount of care and attention to all disputes;
-
Guaranteeing confidentiality regarding all communications at all times during the arbitration process.
All disputes are referred to the service via a standard IBAS arbitration form on which full details of the dispute should be provided. IBAS does not under any circumstances rule on disputes in person or over the telephone.