'We shouldn't tell people how to spend their money' - MP Laurence Robertson to press minister over affordability checks

Conservative MP Laurence Robertson, one of British racing's key allies in parliament, is lobbying against intrusive affordability checks that would damage the sport's finances and called on the government to justify why it would start regulating people's spending.

Robertson will outline how checks – involving customers being asked to provide sensitive financial information to bookmakers – will leave racing's finances "down the Swanee" when gambling minister Stuart Andrew joins the next meeting of the government's all-party group for racing and bloodstock, which he has chaired for more than a decade, on September 12.

The Gambling Commission opened a consultation into  financial risk checks, proposed by the government, in July but it has been heavily criticised by punters. The government's description of some affordability checks as frictionless has been rejected by a number of leading industry figures while the Gambling Commission was compared to the "Spanish Inquisition" by Betfair co-founder Andrew Black this week.

Robertson – whose Tewkesbury consistency encompasses Cheltenham racecourse – plans to question whether the Gambling Commission is fit for purpose and reaffirm the need for swifter conclusion to the gambling review, which has been open since December 2020.

Many bookmakers have already begun undertaking affordability checks, the consequences of which include owners leaving the sport and a surge in black-market gambling. While British racing faces a major challenge, BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said the Department for Culture, Media and Sport was listening to its concerns while Robertson has similarly been encouraged with his own conversations with Andrew. 

Stuart Andrew: "has been very willing to talk"

He said: "Stuart Andrew has been very, very willing to talk and to listen so I’m hopeful of a good outcome. The main thing in the meeting will be to really re-emphasise the very close link between racing and betting and how important it is – if there’s a significant drop in betting turnover or levy, or media rights then racing is going to go down the Swanee. 

"We’ll get his views on how they’ll do it and they can make sure it doesn't adversely impact racing. I think we’ve waited long enough and it’s time to spell out what exactly is going to happen. Uncertainty can be worse than knowing the facts.

"The Gambling Commission are quite a big concern. Are they under control? Are they working in the parameters being set by the government? That’s something I’ll raise to the minister. I don’t want them to hide behind any possible levy review as that’s a separate thing all together. If they say there’s a review of the levy our response will be so what? We don’t know which way a review will take us. It could be better, it could be worse."

Prominent jumps owner Carl Hinchy announced this week he would be exiting the sport as checks left him unable to bet on his horses and he was also critical of restrictions over his own spending. This comes despite former gambling minister Paul Scully having stressed it was neither the government nor the Gambling Commission's job to determine how much a person can bet. Robertson will advise Scully's successor to take such an approach.

He said: "There’s a philosophical issue here. The only time you get checks on your income is when you’re looking to borrow money and not spend it so this is a new concept. I don’t think we should tell people how to spend their money, that would be a significant change of approach that any government would have to justify. We’ve got to be a Conservative government but, in a number of ways, we’re not being that at the moment. 

"There are some individuals who have suffered terribly and my heart really does go out to them. I think there’s a need to target these people and there’s all sorts of other ways, such as the betting trends, to try and help them. There will be pressure on betting companies to do that but not to say how much can you afford as it’s up to the person. There’s a line to be drawn there and I think the group would take that view.

"The government will feel the need to do something otherwise they’ll get backlash, although I hope – very strongly – they don’t do anything detrimental."

• How to respond to the Gambling Commission consultation: Views can be provided at this page. After completing the introductory questions, select 'Remote gambling: financial vulnerability and financial risk' from the 'Consultations contents page'. You may choose to answer as many or as few questions as you wish. Further Racing Post guidance on responding to the consultation can be found here.

• The Racing Post 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:

'He likes a bet and it's worrying' - Miaharris sparkles but affordability checks do not escape Owen Burrows 

'They are listening' - BHA chief says government alive to concerns as owners quit over affordability checks 

'It's a step too far' - Grade 1-winning owner Carl Hinchy quits racing over affordability checks 

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