'Why is gambling different?' - sports minister to be scrutinised on affordability checks by punters' body

Two professional punters have suggested sports minister Stuart Andrew should be asked why gambling seems to have been singled out for enhanced regulatory scrutiny when he hosts members of the Horseracing Bettors Forum (HBF) on Wednesday.

Neil Channing and Nick Goff said a key meeting between Andrew and the HBF should seek to establish whether the government has diverged from its initial aims for the gambling review white paper.

Answers to these questions were vital for assuring bettors that any new regulations have had proper consideration from people who bet, particularly on horseracing in Britain, with concerns remaining that punters have been overlooked throughout the process.

Last week, chair Sean Trivass said the HBF were eager to engage in a friendly and constructive discussion with Andrew during which the punters’ body would seek to put across the real-life challenges gamblers have had from affordability checks and account restrictions.

Channing said: “I am encouraged that the minister is meeting with the HBF as it’s the first time they have seemingly thought to speak to people who like betting on horseracing and know what they are talking about. However, so much of what is going on with the gambling review has been delegated to the Gambling Commission and I think it’s totally clueless, awful. 

“It’s fundamental, and I’m sure it’s a question that [the HBF] already want to put across, but we should be asking [the minister], why is gambling different? Why are checks acceptable for this but zero other checks are acceptable for other things in life? It’s a legal activity, so why is it being treated differently? 

“People use the analogies of smoking and drinking, which I don’t think are the right ones, as they have an inherent health risk attached to them. For me, gambling is more like going to the cinema or a concert – you are paying for something where there is the prospect of no tangible reward but it’s entertainment and it’s something done responsibly and for enjoyment. As far as I am aware, there are no checks on either of those.”

The meeting between Andrew and the HBF comes amidst the Gambling Commission’s consultation into the white paper, which was published in April, with the outcomes of the consultation potentially influencing the legislative and regulatory changes that are made.

Stuart Andrew: the sports minister will meet with the Horseracing Bettors Forum on Wednesday

Proposed changes include punters being subjected to background financial checks after a net loss of £125 over a rolling 30-day period, with enhanced checks coming after a loss of £1,000 within 24 hours or £2,000 in 90 days. It has been stated these checks would be frictionless, but concerns remain that a significant portion of gamblers would have to hand over personal financial information, such as bank statements, to enable them to keep betting with regulated firms.

It has also been proposed that winnings from as little as seven days prior could be discounted when calculating a loss, meaning punters could be told to prove they can afford to bet despite being in profit from their gambling. 

Goff, a former head of trading for Coral who has been a professional gambler since 2016, said the HBF should take the opportunity to press Andrew during its meeting on whether the gambling review had stayed true to the intentions it started with.

“At the point we’re at now I think I’d ask them to cast their mind back to the beginning of this whole process,” he said. “What was the aim? Who did they want to protect and what did they absolutely not want to break or ruin? 

“Do they feel they’re on the right path to achieving that? Or somehow, over time have things become so tangled they’re ending up with a situation no one ever envisaged or desired? If indeed that’s what is happening what can now be done to safeguard the things – horseracing, non at-risk bettors, etc – that no-one ever thought should be as dramatically impacted as is now projected?”

The HBF is conducting a survey of punters before Wednesday's meeting. It can be accessed via the organisation's Twitter page.

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.

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