'The government must remember betting is a pastime enjoyed by millions' - operators' views on affordability checks

Gambling operators were among those who contributed responses to the DCMS committee's call for evidence, with affordability checks featuring heavily. Here is a summary of the points they made

Bet365

We agree with the comments of the former minister [Paul Scully, gambling minister until last month] that such checks must be tried and tested before they are implemented and stand ready to support this process. We know from our own experience that only a small minority of customers will ever share financial information on request, and it is essential we get this right to avoid driving players into the black market . . . In the online environment, operators have access to information on a customer’s activity which can allow an assessment to be made to support a tailored solution. Coupled with an effective affordability framework, customers who can afford to stake at higher levels should not be constrained by arbitrary limits at low levels.

Entain (parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral)

Examples of overregulation which do appear to influence customers are plentiful from other markets. The classic examples are excessively tight affordability checks, particularly those involving the supply of documents (eg bank statements, payslips etc) and the prohibition of bonuses, free bets and other incentives which customers value very highly. Both would trigger more and more customers to depart the safety of the licensed sector for the dangerous waters of unlicensed or frankly illegal sites – all of which are easily accessible, even by people with minimal IT skills . . . There has been a series of articles recently in the trade paper the Racing Post demonstrating the negative effect this is having, both on ordinary customers and on the finances of racing, a great British pastime and a source of employment, especially in rural areas.

Kindred Group (parent company of Unibet)

Kindred believes that there is a clear opportunity for the white paper to introduce a data-led, targeted and proportionate approach, particularly on issues such as affordability/financial risk and stake limits. Across our platforms we have already been rolling out such solutions with promising signs of success. When designing regulation, the government must remember that betting is a pastime enjoyed by millions. Regulations and rules will not stop that behaviour, it will just alter it. Customers wishing to place a bet will move to another platform – and in the worst case an unlicensed operator that does not require any form of checks or limits on stakes. It is why a risk-based approach is vital – where we use data and insight to apply checks rather than a blanket approach.

Flutter Entertainment (parent company of Paddy Power, Betfair and Sky Bet)

Ninety per cent of customers have told us they think any checks should be at levels above what they themselves spend; 40 per cent of our customers say they would not provide financial documents for an affordability check; and 75 per cent of those who would not comply say they would instead gamble with different companies, including unregulated (‘black market’) sites, to circumvent the checks. Any poorly thought-through approach here has the potential to direct hundreds of thousands of players to unregulated sites where, by definition, they will not benefit from the protections available on regulated sites. A material number of these players are the ones who arguably need the protections of a regulated operator the most.

Have you been affected by intrusive affordability checks during Cheltenham? If so, we would like to hear from you. Email us (editor@racingpost.com) with the subject 'Affordability checks' to share your experiences and contact details

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