Punters urged to turn up heat as MPs prepare for key affordability debate next month

Politicians in the UK moved to back a key parliamentary debate on affordability checks on Monday as the body representing bettors urged them to contact their local MPs and ask them to attend next month’s crucial debate.

Matt Hancock, independent MP for West Suffolk, which includes Newmarket, said the debate, triggered by more than 100,000 signatories to a petition initiated by Jockey Club CEO Nevin Truesdale, was “another important step forwards in the fight against the introduction of these damaging, counterproductive and invasive financial checks". Laurence Robertson, Conservative MP for Tewkesbury, where Cheltenham racecourse is located, said there was a “lot of concern” about the government’s Gambling Act white paper.

Last week, the petitions committee confirmed a debate on the petition ‘Stop the implementation of betting affordability/financial risk checks’ would take place on February 26 after more than 100,000 people across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed in support of the motion.

The debate builds on one brought by Hancock on the future of horseracing last October, when MPs from across Britain attended in a concerted show of support for the sport while highlighting the issues being faced by it as a result of affordability checks being imposed on punters.

In response to the petition being accepted for debate, Hancock said on Monday: “This is another important step forwards in the fight against the introduction of these damaging, counterproductive and invasive financial checks. 

“Whilst I continue to support the effort to tackle problem gambling, those who love to have a flutter at the bookies, or online, or at the racecourse, should not be caught up in these measures. It would be a huge mistake that will do untold damage to Newmarket and the horseracing industry should it ever go ahead. 

“We need to make sure that the Gambling Commission supports gambling that people enjoy whilst also effectively tackling problem gambling, rather than driving people into the darker regions of the internet where they can get away from any regulation whatsoever.”

Laurence Robertson MP said there was "a lot of concern" about the government's Gambling Act white paperCredit: Nicholas Jones

Robertson, who also attended the October debate in Westminster Hall, said next month’s debate was likely to appeal to a significant number of MPs due to the particular concerns about the knock-on effects affordability checks could have on the finances of British racing. 

In a letter to culture secretary Lucy Frazer last year, Martin Cruddace, the chief executive of Arena Racing Company, estimated that the sport could lose out on £250 million over the next five years as a result of the proposals in the government’s white paper.

Robertson said on Monday: “I’m pleased this is the outcome to the petition as it’s the one I wanted to see happen. A lot of people have got behind this and I’m of the view that while we need to do what we can to eliminate problem gambling, a more measured approach is needed. 

“There’s a lot of concern about [the Gambling Review], more so for the effect it could have on horseracing, and that is going to attract people to turn up and have their say at this debate.”

There were 1,240 people in West Suffolk who signed the affordability checks petition with a further 545 constituents in Tewkesbury adding their names. There were 667 signatures from Frazer’s South East Cambridgeshire constituency, which the Conservatives have been forecast to lose to the Liberal Democrats at this year’s election, according to a YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph published this week. 

Punters who signed the petition have been called on to write to their MP to stress the importance of attending the debate.  

The Horseracing Bettors Forum, the body representing the interests of punters on British racing, has created a template letter on its website which can be downloaded and sent to constituency offices by punters. The HBF said: "We are encouraging all bettors to write to their MP urging them to attend the debate and ensure their voice is heard."

Read these next:

Crucial affordability checks debate to take place on February 26 

Punters and racing's participants urged to encourage their local MPs to attend February's affordability debate 

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