Cheltenham boss predicts affordability checks will push more people to bet on course at festival

Affordability checks are likely to force more people to bet using cash on course at this month's Cheltenham Festival, according to the track's boss Ian Renton.

A Racing Post survey last month found one in six punters had faced requests to hand over financial information to bookmakers to prove how much they could afford to gamble. Of those, more than half had refused to hand over their financial documents. 

The checks are being applied by operators who fear huge fines from the Gambling Commission, which denies mandating them. They are estimated to be costing the sport tens of millions of pounds in revenue, which is cause for concern before the biggest betting week of the year.

Last month, Sean Trivass, the chair of Horseracing Bettors Forum, warned affordability checks would deter punters from betting on the festival and Renton, the Jockey Club's regional director for Cheltenham and the south-west, said: "I think it's something the whole industry is looking extremely closely at because it needs to be managed. 

"There has been talk there may be more people wishing to bet with cash because of the impact of affordability on them. I think there will be more betting on course as the affordability checks won't happen in the same way, and there's always cash available.

"People may slightly change their betting routine during the festival, some people have many more bets during Cheltenham than they would for the rest of the year. I think that's what we need to consider. I don't think for the festival itself it will have a major financial impact on us. It's something we need to be very mindful of, though, and be sure the situation is managed well over the coming weeks and months."

The UK gambling review white paper is expected to be published in the coming weeks and is thought likely to include proposals on the controversial subject of affordability checks.  On Monday, Conservative MP Laurence Robertson voiced concerns about the damage to British racing's income from the "unintended consequences" of its proposals.

Read more:

The Big Punting Survey: one in six have already been hit with affordability checks 

Affordability checks for one in six 'disproportionate' and flight to the black market 'almost inevitable' 

Gambling Commission denies mandating the affordability checks blighting punters 

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