'We need to take it to the top' - MPs to seek meeting with prime minister following frustration over affordability debate

Members of parliament supporting racing's call to rethink affordability checks policy are set to seek a meeting with prime minister Rishi Sunak as frustration grows over the gambling minister's failure to engage with arguments presented at Monday night's Westminster Hall debate.

The debate was triggered by a petition calling for the government's proposals for the checks to be scrapped, which received more than 100,000 signatures. The impact of affordability checks on punters, racing and the black market was extensively detailed by MPs at Westminster Hall but gambling minister Stuart Andrew addressed few of those arguments in his speech at the close of the debate.

John Gosden, who last week argued that ministers and the Gambling Commission were in "complete denial" of the negative consequences of the proposals for the sport, criticised the apparently indifferent ministerial response.

He said: "Many of the MPs made very valid points in the debate on Monday but the gambling minister failed to engage with any of them, which was disappointing. He just read out a statement and sat down again."

John Gosden: described the debate as "disappointing"Credit: Dan Abraham

Following the debate, Philip Davies, the Conservative MP for Shipley, said opponents of affordability checks must "keep fighting" and that view was echoed by Laurence Robertson, whose constituency incorporates Cheltenham. He believes the time has come to take the matter over the heads of Andrew and culture secretary Lucy Frazer.

He said: "Following the debate, I had the idea that I might get participants together to discuss the next steps we might take to help protect horseracing from any unintended consequences arising from the implementation of financial risk or affordability checks on punters.

"Having held discussions with some of them, I came to the conclusion we need to take the matter higher in the government. I mean no disrespect to Lucy Frazer or Stuart Andrew, both of whom have been more than willing to engage with us, but it's obvious the drive for these checks is coming from a higher level.

"I am therefore requesting a meeting with the prime minister to discuss this issue. All of us involved feel the threat to horseracing is such that we need to take the matter to the top to avoid the possible decimation of our great sport. A number of other MPs are supporting me in this request for a meeting with the prime minister and I'll provide a further update when I have more to report."

Laurence Robertson MP: is calling for a meeting with the prime minister to discuss affordability checks

Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale, who launched the petition on behalf of British racing, said he was heartened by the high turnout for the debate. 

"We were pleased it was so well attended, particularly by MPs who have racecourses and communities that play an important role in our industry within their constituencies," he said. 

"Their contributions to the debate were very welcome and it's clear that some very well-respected parliamentarians share our own strong feelings regarding this subject and its importance to the future of British racing. It's crucial we continue to make the case for our industry and we hope that DCMS and the Gambling Commission remain engaged in this process and hear our very significant concerns.”

The impact of the checks is already being felt by British racing. The latest Gambling Commission statistics showed £900 million less was bet on racing with regulated online bookmakers in 2022-23 than in the previous year, while industry analysts Regulus have calculated the sport's annual income will take an additional £50m hit if the proposals are introduced in their current form.

Read more:

'We have got to keep fighting' - MPs frustrated with minister's response to affordability checks debate

Affordability debate highlights support in parliament for racing's cause - now the government must finally start to listen 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning