Bookmakers' president left 'mortified' by proposed changes to SP system

Plans to reform the starting price system to reflect the off-course market have been criticised for reducing customer choice, with the president of the British Racecourse Bookmakers Association left "mortified" by the proposed changes.

The Starting Price Regulatory Commission (SPRC) held a consultation meeting with representatives of racecourse and off-course bookmakers and other interested parties this week to discuss the controversial proposals.

An SPRC paper circulated before the meeting claimed that "a tipping point has been reached" and the on-course market "no longer produces an SP which is reflective of the overall betting market".

The only way to remedy the situation was to "extend the sample to include the largest off-course bookmakers", although prices from the racecourse market would still be included in the sample.

The SPRC also said the new system would be trialled in parallel with the existing process before it is introduced when crowds and on-course bookmakers return.

However, Chris Hudson, president of the British Racecourse Bookmakers Association, who attended the meeting, criticised the move.

He said: "I am absolutely mortified at the whole thing. I am completely against it. Who is going to regulate it?

"The customer at the moment has the choice. They can use the industry price or they can use our price.

"If they are proposing the two together you take away the element of choice for the consumer."

Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers director Robin Grossmith was also in the meeting.

He said: "It is going to be open to a full consultation to which we will be contributing.

"I think the meeting was professionally conducted by Lord Donoughue and Jim Donnelley [of the SPRC] and I am very pleased to be part of the review."

Colin Hord, chairman of the Horseracing Bettors Forum (HBF), said he welcomed the opportunity to take part in the meeting.

He added: "We will be providing comments on the proposals emphasising the need for the sample of off-course bookmakers used to provide a competitive SP.

"HBF is pleased to hear that on-course bookmakers prices are to be used in the sample once racegoers return to the track. We will be monitoring the SPs from behind closed doors meetings."

Starting prices using the off-course market will be returned when racing in Britain resumes behind closed doors.

More to read

Off-course market to be used to produce SPs for meetings behind closed doors

Starting price revolution likely as off-course prices to be permanent fixture

Horseracing Bettors Forum demands clarity on how starting price will be formed

'Modernised' SP system largely based on off-course bets set for trial run

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