'Out of control' regulator told to leave affordability checks to gambling review

The Gambling Commission is "out of control" according to one MP, who was speaking after it emerged the industry regulator had imposed intrusive affordability checks on punters without waiting for the government to deliver its gambling review.

The Racing Post reported on Thursday that thousands of bettors are being asked to submit wage slips and bank statements to their bookmakers, despite the government having not yet published its proposals for reform following a long-running review of gambling legislation.

It is expected the government will recommend the hugely controversial financial checks should only be introduced in 'non-intrusive' fashion when it delivers its white paper this month.

However, bookmakers acting on Gambling Commission guidance backed up by the threat of regulatory penalties are already implementing the most intrusive form of affordability checks.

Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said he believed that the Gambling Commission appeared to be "working well outside its remit" and that was a standpoint echoed by his parliamentary colleague Philip Davies.

Davies said: "My view is that it's hugely concerning. In my opinion the Gambling Commission are a regulator who are completely out of control and completely out of touch with the view of punters."

Last month Davies asked gambling minister Chris Philp for information on how often Gambling Commission chief executive Andrew Rhodes had visited different gambling premises since his appointment 12 months earlier, and was told that he had not yet been to a betting shop or online gambling company.

Davies said on Friday: "As my parliamentary question uncovered, the chief executive hasn't made an effort to go and speak to anybody. As far as I'm concerned, the government needs to make their decisions in the review and ensure the Gambling Commission sticks to them and doesn't start gold-plating everything."

Philip Davies: Conservative MP asked questions of the Gambling CommissionCredit: Edward Whitaker

Gambling operators have said the vast majority of punters have shown reluctance to share sensitive financial information, with one firm revealing last week that 90 per cent of customers asked to provide documents decline to do so.

The issue of affordability checks is one of great importance to British racing, which estimates lost revenues of £100 million per annum should such checks be introduced at the low levels of spend advocated by campaigners, and to bettors who face unprecedented restrictions on their freedom to bet unless willing to let bookmakers see wage slips and bank statements.

BHA chair Joe Saumarez Smith revealed this week that affordability checks were already having a detrimental impact on British racing's income.

Laurence Robertson, the Conservative MP whose Tewkesbury constituency includes Cheltenham racecourse, also criticised the Gambling Commission.

He said: "It's a huge issue for gambling companies but also for horseracing. Not much, if anything, has motivated horseracing as much as this because they recognise the potential threat.

"People who buy alcohol or shop for luxury items or anything else do not have to prove they can afford it – and quite rightly, they shouldn't have to. I don't actually think it's for the government to tell people what to spend their money on, so it is certainly not for the Gambling Commission.

"I really do think this should fall within the remit of the gambling review. I may or may not like what the government proposes but that's for me to argue with the government."

Read more on the gambling review:

Regulator slammed for ramping up affordability checks ahead of gambling review

'Non-intrusive' affordability checks expected to feature in gambling white paper

'Hours and hours wasted' – the punters already affected by affordability checks

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday