Sportsbook v Customer relationship?

Originally posted by Data

"If you do not like the service they provide just do not use it. If you think they are scammers, do not deal with them but do not try to scam anybody."

This was pulled from a thread where I suggested using a friends account (with his permission) to bet through when your own accounts had become so restricted it wasn't possible to bet. Data's quote of "service" provided by sportsbook made me think "Is that really how you see the relationship between Bookmaker and bettor?

Personally I've always seen it as a war, battle, fight etc where

1 - The book starts the fight by offering odds to try and take your money.

2 - You accept the fight.

3 - You win or lose given those odds and limits they set (fair fight)

4 - They start to fight dirty with sharp lines, reducing limits etc

5 - You react and fight back using multiple accounts etc.

Am I alone in feeling like this as there is no way I see bookies as a service provider.

There should be anonymity (up to a point - the point where you pay). With a spread bet because you have to close it as well as open it, you should have the right not to identify yourself until AFTER you comit. If your bet is open they can deal you a bad price because they know the direction you are going (to close). You should anonymously ask for a price, accept it, THEN say who you are and pay if needs be.

It ought to be the same with fixed odds and this aspect of customer privacy never came within a million miles of the gambling commission who were so eager to protect customers.

You should not need to login identify yourself and be profiled. You should be able to go to a bookmakers site, make a selection, state the stake, wait to be accepted or declined, and only THEN identify yourself to make payment.