Unfair Betting Practices and Rate Manipulation by Yolo.com / Sportbet.io

[blackrhino86]

I have been a customer of Sportsbet.io for many years. Approximately 4–5 months ago, I was invited to join their new platform, Yolo.com. Based on my understanding and information circulating in the market, the company appears to have transitioned to this new platform after obtaining a license in Dubai, withdrawing from certain markets where they previously operated without proper authorization. However, they specifically invited former customers, including myself, to migrate to this new, supposedly licensed platform.

Despite my residency status and the platform’s own regulatory restrictions, I was invited to play without any proper verification procedures. I continued to use the platform for some time; however, the serious issues I experienced on the previous site were never resolved. Instead, I was repeatedly subjected to unfair and highly unprofessional treatment by their “sports team.”

For nearly every bet, I was required to obtain manual approval from their team before placing it. Most recently, after receiving explicit approval to place a bet, I proceeded to deposit funds. At that exact moment, the match margins were drastically altered to a level I have never encountered on any reputable betting platform. Margins that are typically in the 2–3% range were increased to approximately 8–10%.

For example, odds structured around 1.65 vs 2.35 were reduced to 1.55 vs 2.25 by the time I was able to place the bet — despite prior approval. This kind of post-approval price manipulation is unacceptable and, in my view, constitutes clear and deliberate unfair practice.

When I raised the issue with my VIP representative, I was told that the sports team had made a “mistake” and lowered the odds to correct their error. Answer attached. However, this explanation is not credible. The action taken was not a correction — it was a direct financial disadvantage imposed on me after I had already been authorized to place the wager.

My betting history on both the old and new platforms clearly shows that such extreme margin differences on high-level matches have never been applied before. It is highly suspicious that this occurred precisely at the moment I was depositing funds. Even after my complaint, they claimed to have made a slight improvement, but the odds still remained significantly worse than those originally approved.

I am formally filing this complaint due to what I consider systematic unfair treatment and manipulative practices. Although the company representatives claim that Sportsbet.io and Yolo.com are separate entities due to licensing changes in the UAE, it is evident that the same operational behavior continues under the new brand.

As a UAE resident, I want it on record that I intend to pursue my legal rights regarding the treatment I have been subjected to since the first day of this transition.

+plus my life time results in new platform most likely -2.000.000€ and this behavior still continues.

[cryptoaddictchie]

This sounds less like a one off mistake and more like a pattern where risk controls are being selectively enforced in a way that shifts all downside to the player, especially with post approval odds changes. Inviting users to migrate, allowing play without proper verification, then tightening margins only at the moment of deposit seriously undermines trust and raises questions about fair dealing, regardless of the new license or branding. Have you documented the approvals, original odds, and timing of the margin changes in a way that could be independently reviewed by a regulator or mediator? Maybe you could also share that.

[blackrhino86]

This sounds less like a one off mistake and more like a pattern where risk controls are being selectively enforced in a way that shifts all downside to the player, especially with post approval odds changes. Inviting users to migrate, allowing play without proper verification, then tightening margins only at the moment of deposit seriously undermines trust and raises questions about fair dealing, regardless of the new license or branding. Have you documented the approvals, original odds, and timing of the margin changes in a way that could be independently reviewed by a regulator or mediator? Maybe you could also share that.

As a first step, I intend to apply to the UAE authorities. Based on what I understand, the company claims to have exited so-called “black markets” after obtaining a legal license in the UAE. I was invited to migrate to their new platform under this structure. Despite this, no proper KYC or verification process was carried out on my account. At the same time, the company appears to operate under an Estonian (EU) license as well.

The company cannot simply remove or deny the existence of internal records and databases on their side. The actions I experienced appear to stem from the decision of a sportsbook manager who acted in an extremely unprofessional and arbitrary manner, seemingly assuming he could apply rules selectively without consequences.

I was explicitly given the green light to deposit and place bets. However, immediately afterward, margins across many matches were raised to approximately 7–10%. It was only at that point that the representative appeared to realize how inappropriate the situation was. As seen in the conversations, multiple inconsistent explanations were then provided to justify the changes.

Regardless of those explanations, the damage had already been done. This behavior is unacceptable, and I believe it clearly demonstrates unfair and discriminatory treatment.

At this stage, I am determined to pursue and defend my legal rights.

[blackrhino86]

The most unacceptable aspect of this situation is that they first approved the bet, waited for me to complete my deposit, and then immediately and drastically increased the margins.

I would also like to add that the VIP agent assigned to me was very helpful and professional. My complaint is not related to that individual in any way; it is directed entirely at the management, whose conduct in this matter has been extremely disappointing and unacceptable.