'Not fit for purpose' - Betfair founder Andrew Black criticises new Gambling Commission board

Betfair joint-founder Andrew Black has voiced concern over the seven new commissioners appointed to the Gambling Commission this week, none of whom has a background in gambling.

Black, who also owns the Chasemore Farm breeding operation, has previously criticised the make-up of the commission's board for its lack of experience of the industry.

Speaking to the Racing Post in August, he claimed their background meant there would be a "commonality of thinking among them which is not aligned in any way with the industry".

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport revealed the identity of the seven new commissioners on Tuesday and while they were experts in a number of fields including law, regulation, health, the financial sector and the civil service, their CVs did not include a single reference to gambling.

Black said on Wednesday: "They are not fit for purpose. Unless they give us seats at the table they will never have anything other than a narrow perspective; they will never develop the understanding they need to regulate our industry in an empathetic manner; and if they are not with us they will inevitably be against us."

In September the Gambling Commission announced the creation of a new Industry Forum made up of representatives from operators which the regulator's chair Marcus Boyle said would give them "another way to work with representatives from the industry we regulate".

Meanwhile, polling carried out by YouGov for the Gamblers Consumer Forum (GCF) pressure group has found that more than half of respondents believe there is a risk that affordability checks will lead to an increase in black market activity. Last month a Gambling Commission consultation closed on controversial proposals for affordability checks.

Gambling Commission chief Andrew Rhodes: has argued threat from black market is "overstated"

Leading figures from across British racing have warned such checks could cost British racing £250 million over the next five years. The regulator's chief executive Andrew Rhodes has acknowledged there is a risk from the black market but has described the threat as "overstated".

However, the YouGov polling found that 53 per cent of people believed there was a major or significant risk that affordability checks would lead to an increase in black market gambling.

GCF head of communications Abbie MacGregor said the survey had "exposed the suspicions many of us already have – the belief that affordability checks will serve to benefit unregulated and illegal gambling".

She added: "Over half of the UK population share this concern that many of us in the racing community have tried to warn the Gambling Commission of to no avail. There can no longer be any doubt the threat of the black market is real and well-known, clearly not just to gamblers but to the wider public."

The polling also found that 68 per cent of respondents would support technology designed to guide those suffering from gambling harm towards clinical treatment.

Read these next:

 Seven new commissioners join Gambling Commission - but none of them come from a gambling background 

 Arc warns affordability checks 'would undermine the financial ecosystem that underpins racing' 

The Gambling Commission consultation has closed - what happens next? 

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