Santander told a customer his gambling was 'high' - it's no wonder that customer was left fuming
One thing leads to another. If you repeatedly keep pumping out the same message or mantra, no matter how flawed, people will often believe you. That, in part, explains why our freedom to bet is being challenged and British racing faces a precarious financial future.
Almost two and a half years have passed since I penned a special report that ran under an intentionally powerful headline, 'The Plot Against Gambling'. The article set out to show how a coalition of unlikely bedfellows, incorporating politicians, media outlets, health professionals, academics, regulators and clerics, were setting out to change gambling forever. Following the recent revelation that online betting turnover on racing fell by the equivalent of £1.75 billion in the last financial year, thus costing the sport tens of millions of pounds, it appears the coalition is doing rather well.
That November 2021 Sunday Big Read began with a sadly all-too-true tale from the House of Lords where Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood, a former law lord and justice of the Supreme Court, stood up during a second reading debate on the Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill and admitted having "very little expertise about gambling", but then said: "I recognise that gambling is a huge attraction to some – a craving, an addiction and, in truth, a cancer in our society today."
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
- Epsom means business with its week-long Derby festival - and here is how the radical revamp could look
- To race or not to race? Corach Rambler's connections confronted a tough question and found the right answer
- Racing leaders face huge decisions - but could any amount of money justify relinquishing control of the crown jewels?
- The Jockey Club knows how it is perceived and wants to change - but that change must happen faster
- The numbers that tell a powerful story about British prize-money - and they might come as a surprise
- Epsom means business with its week-long Derby festival - and here is how the radical revamp could look
- To race or not to race? Corach Rambler's connections confronted a tough question and found the right answer
- Racing leaders face huge decisions - but could any amount of money justify relinquishing control of the crown jewels?
- The Jockey Club knows how it is perceived and wants to change - but that change must happen faster
- The numbers that tell a powerful story about British prize-money - and they might come as a surprise