Racing a critical friend of betting industry, Rust tells Lords select committee

BHA chief executive Nick Rust told a House of Lords select committee on Tuesday that British racing was of low risk in terms of problem gambling and the effect of advertising, but that the sport was a "critical friend" of the betting industry.

Appearing before the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry Committee, chaired by Lord Grade, Rust told peers that racing and betting had been interdependent for 300 years, although that link presented challenges when it came to the perception of problem gambling.

He added: "I think what's key to understand around that is betting on horseracing has a very low index versus other betting activities with regards to gambling disorder and problem gambling."

Baroness Thornhill asked why racing was given an exemption under the 'whistle-to-whistle' ban on pre-watershed gambling advertising and what responsibility the sport had not to make gambling attractive to children.

Nick Rust: the outgoing BHA chief told the House of Lords select committee that racing 'has a very low index' compared to other betting activitiesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Rust replied that less than ten per cent of televised racing's audience is under 18, which lowered risk, while the relatively long gaps between events also helped lower the danger of problem gambling.

"If gambling advertising [during racing] starts to cause some risk of harm of course some action must be taken, but we would argue it is low risk," he added.

Nigel Roddis, the managing director of Britbet who also gave evidence, said there were 2,500 screens on British racecourses displaying information to racegoers including to those under 18.

He added: "The key with those screens is they inform, they don't entice. We are very clear on that and it has appropriate messaging."

Rust said the sport's support for the government's policy of reducing FOBT stakes to £2 – even though it could be seen as being against its interests due to the loss of income from betting shop closures – was an example of its commitment to safer gambling.

"Racing took a position of supporting the government in the need for change even though it could have been seen that it wasn't directly in our self-interest to do so," Rust said.

"We are very keen, and we work closely with the betting industry as critical friends to help ensure they are doing all that they can, and that we take our share of that responsibility."

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