Uncertain times continue for the sport as constant political change scuppers much-needed breakthroughs

It is more than four years since the last Conservative government launched its review of the Gambling Act 2005, yet still both the racing industry and the gambling sector are waiting for certainty.

The disarray that surrounded that administration for many years, especially the revolving door at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, created a chaotic situation which the eventual publication of the white paper two years ago has done little to solve.

While the gambling review was taking place, bookmakers were having to deal with a situation in which the Gambling Commission had asked them to carry out affordability checks, as set out in the regulator's Compliance and Enforcement Report of 2020, while simultaneously denying it had done so.

The result was that punters were asked for intrusive personal information such as bank statements in order to carry on their level of betting, and when they inevitably refused to do so it contributed to millions of pounds being wiped from British racing's finances.

The white paper two years on: 'A lot of the things we warned about are coming to pass'

It is only in recent months that the lowest tier of checks, as set out in the white paper, has come into force, while the higher level of 'frictionless' checks continues to be trialled.

A voluntary code for financial checks agreed between the Gambling Commission and the Betting and Gaming Council, which will operate until the trial has been deemed to have been a success or not, was a small step in the right direction, but punters are still being asked for documents due to the failure to agree a similar code for anti-money laundering checks.

Meanwhile, for the racing industry, there is continued frustration that the review of the levy system which was included in the white paper has yet to bear fruit.

The political world again intervened to scupper an agreement which would have provided a financial boost for the sport, if not as much as its leaders wanted, when Rishi Sunak called last year's general election.

Talks have stalled since then and the new government has shown no sign it wishes to become embroiled in the saga.

What British racing desperately needs is some certainty about how the white paper will affect its finances for the foreseeable future, but the wait goes on.

Read more here

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Gambling white paper: key plans, affordability checks and what it means  

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