'Not what's happening in the real world' - scepticism over minister's claims on affordability checks

Assurances from sports minister Stuart Andrew that affordability checks would not be brought in unless they were genuinely frictionless were met with widespread scepticism on Wednesday.

Andrew told a Culture, Media and Sport select committee on Tuesday that financial risk checks – the British government’s for affordability checks – could be subject to a pilot scheme in order to ensure they were frictionless, something that a betting industry analyst described as unrealistic unless bookmakers were told to rein back on the measures they had already put in place under pressure from the Gambling Commission.

As highlighted by a dossier of readers’ letters presented to the committee by the Racing Post, and referenced during the meeting by Damian Green MP, punters are already being subjected to intrusive questions about their personal finances that they must satisfy in order to allow them to keep betting.

Professional punter Neil Channing said: “There seems to be a huge contradiction between the aspirations of the sports minister and the actions of the Gambling Commission. Stuart Andrew said he wants to protect horseracing and any checks that come in would be frictionless, whereas that is not what is actually happening in the real world.

“There seems to have been a big power grab by the Gambling Commission, who appear to have more or less enacted the Gambling Act before it’s even been passed or discussed by parliament. They’ve effectively brought in affordability checks already and most punters must feel this is all ridiculous.”

Neil Channing: "Most punters must feel this is all ridiculous"

Paul Leyland, a partner at gambling consultancy Regulus Partners, said any pilot as described by Andrew would need the measures already put in place by bookmakers to be changed. He said: “For a pilot, you would have to go to operators and say to them to do less than they are already doing now and see how that goes – how likely is that to happen?

“The whole debate is couched in terms of future change and it’s not the situation we are in. Politicians don’t seem to be over the brief. For [checks] to be frictionless going forward, what’s happening now has to change. Consumers are aware of what’s going on and it’s already impacting them, that’s what’s missing from this debate.

“We heard from [Gambling Commission chief executive] Andrew Rhodes that the decision to do affordability checks so far are being done commercially. I don’t think anybody would be doing this commercially, it was due to extreme pressure from the Gambling Commission.”

The requirement for affordability checks to be frictionless and targeted was emphasised on Wednesday by Michael Dugher, chief executive of the Betting And Gaming Council, an industry body representing the majority of bookmakers.

Dugher warned last week the government and Gambling Commission risked committing “an act of vandalism” on British racing if measures were introduced that drove punters away from betting on the sport or to wagering on the black market instead of with regulated firms.

He said: “We have always been clear, any financial risk check must be genuinely frictionless and carefully targeted to identify the financially vulnerable and the tiny minority of problem gamblers. It must not interfere in the enjoyment of the many millions of punters who enjoy a flutter perfectly safely and responsibly, and to ensure that it does not negatively impact on funding to racing.

“I very much welcome Stuart Andrew’s renewed commitment to deliver on the government’s promise that checks will be frictionless, but actions speak louder than words and everyone needs to get the memo – including the Gambling Commission in its consultation.”

Laurence Robertson MP: called for government to "put more flesh on the bones" of its plansCredit: Nicholas Jones

The government was urged to put “more flesh on the bones” of its plans for frictionless affordability checks by Laurence Robertson, Conservative MP for Tewkesbury.

Robertson, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock, welcomed the idea of any proposals for frictionless checks being piloted, but wanted to know more about what it would amount to.

He said: “They keep saying the checks are going to be frictionless for most people, but we still don’t know how this is all going to work. It’s time for the government to put a bit of flesh on the bones on all of this as we’re lacking the finer details.

“If they decide to make changes, they should be piloted, but what are we actually going to be piloting is a key question that needs answering. It’s crucial for horseracing that these checks really are frictionless and not intrusive – it would be to the detriment of the sport and the gambling industry if they prove otherwise.”

To complete the Gambling Commission's consultation on affordability checks, visit racingpost.com/consultation and follow the instructions.

The Racing Post also wants to hear from you: What has been your experience of affordability checks since the white paper was published at the end of April, and what do you think of the government's proposals? Have affordability checks affected your betting behaviour?

It's a chance for your voice to be heard. Email the Racing Post at editor@racingpost.com with the subject 'Affordability checks' to share your experiences, your thoughts about the government's proposals, and your contact details.

Read these next:

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You have told them to 'butt out' - now the government and Gambling Commission must respond 

Newbury MP Laura Farris to take racing's worries over affordability checks 'to the very top of government' 

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