Bettors urged to write to their MP with affordability checks concerns

Punters have been encouraged to contact their local MPs to highlight concerns about affordability checks, which threaten to cost British racing millions of pounds.

Racing TV, which broadcasts the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree's Grand National meeting, emailed its customers on Tuesday afternoon, urging punters and racing fans to have their say before the government publishes its gambling review white paper.

Affordability checks are expected to feature in some form as part of the long-awaited review, but there are growing concerns over punters being driven away from the sport after being asked for intrusive financial information by bookmakers. That has led to worries that those affected will turn to unregulated markets, which would mean much-needed funds disappearing from racing's pockets.

Racing TV, which recently conducted a survey on the subject, told customers it had "been reliably informed that emails to MPs had the required impact, in significantly raising awareness of the issues and demonstrating concerns to government".

The email read: "As someone who follows and bets regularly on horseracing as an interest and a hobby, you may well be concerned about the affordability checks, currently being carried out by certain bookmakers, and potential limits on deposits, stakes and losses, which are reportedly being considered as part of the review.

"You may also not feel comfortable sharing, or being asked to share, personal data and confidential information with bookmakers to be able to bet. These checks, according to our Racing TV survey, have indicated an increase in black market betting."

It continued: "It is important we continue to lobby MPs, especially as there have been many changes in constituencies since we last communicated on this, as well as a new minister [not named yet] with responsibility for the review."

Racing TV has created a template letter that customers can use to email their local MP, which can be accessed by following this link and should not take more than one minute to complete.

The survey of 3,500 Racing TV members revealed 15 per cent of respondents either bet or knew someone who bets with a black market bookmaker, while 80 cent said they were against mandatory affordability limits being imposed by bookmakers.

The government's gambling review was launched in December 2020 but details of its findings have been the subject of several delays, and the possibility of a further setback to its publication was raised this month when a cabinet reshuffle resulted in culture secretary Michelle Donelan and Paul Scully, who held the gambling brief at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), moving to a different department.

Scully's departure will be seen as a blow to the racing and betting industries as last month he rebuked the Gambling Commission over the subject of affordability, saying it was neither the commission's nor the government's place to determine how much people could gamble.

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