Japan's betting market on horseracing provides stark contrast to that of Britain

While UK punters fret over even more intrusive questioning about personal circumstances being imposed by the government’s gambling review, their counterparts in Japan, the world’s biggest horserace betting jurisdiction, continue to be treated as adults responsible for their own actions.

'Affordability checks, what are affordability checks?' is the question most generally asked of UK visitors by those close to the betting operation in the country’s racing regulator, the Japan Racing Association (JRA).

Yuichi Goto, head of the planning division at the JRA’s international department, explained: “Our regulation is such that if, for example, the customer or their family asks us to stop them coming into the racecourse or taking part in internet betting, we cannot do it.