'Not fit for purpose' - prominent MP slams gambling regulator over interventions

Prominent figures from within politics, gambling and racing have united in condemnation of the latest revelations about intrusive interventions by bookmakers on punters triggered by the Gambling Commission, which one MP described as “not fit for purpose”.

Philip Davies MP blasted the betting industry regulator for pressurising bookmakers into requesting sensitive financial information from punters to enable them to bet, while renowned professional gambler Harry Findlay said the body “doesn’t know what it’s doing” and Thoroughbred Group chief executive Charlie Parker called its actions “frankly bizarre”.

The comments come after the Racing Post revealed high-staking punter, racecourse bookmaker and poker player Joe Beevers had closed accounts with Betfair and Smarkets after the firms requested extensive documentation to allow his betting to continue, including bank statements from friends who had made payments to him.

Punters are being subjected to intrusive affordability and source-of- funds checks by bookmakers as the wait goes on for the government to publish its white paper into the review of the 2005 Gambling Act, which had been included in the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto.

In its absence, the Gambling Commission has been providing guidance to betting companies, but Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, believes the regulator is “out of control”.

He said: “We have got to get away from this idea that bookmakers, the Gambling Commission or the government can decide how much each person can afford to gamble. The only person who knows how much they can afford to gamble is the individual and yet individual responsibility has been removed from the equation completely.

“Each person going online should have to enter how much they are prepared to lose each month, or each year, and the operators should be on the hook for ensuring they do not allow anything beyond that.

“In this review process we have the bookmakers lobbying hard, the anti-gambling campaigners lobbying hard and it seems the punters themselves are being excluded from the process.

“It is clear that the Gambling Commission – whose leaders know nothing about gambling – are out of control and the gambling review must curtail their extremism. It is time people, including the Gambling Commission, listened to the punters, but I am afraid that at the moment it is not fit for purpose.”

The stark lack of understanding of betting and how punters approach gambling was cited as a major concern about the Gambling Commission by Findlay.

Harry Findlay (black shirt) alongside Denman and Sam Thomas in the Cheltenham winner's enclosure after the 2008 Gold CupCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The professional punter and co-owner of 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman, said the unpredictability of who is subjected to an affordability check, and when, has the potential to do lasting damage to those betting on sports such as horse or greyhound racing.

“The Gambling Commission doesn’t know what it’s doing,” he said. “What scares me is that they don’t understand gamblers and I find it heartbreaking that they cannot tell the difference between games of chance and betting with skill and are imposing themselves on punters.

“If [professional gambler] Neil Channing and I were able to get into a room with the top people at the Gambling Commission we’d tie them in knots because they don’t understand the mentality of a gambler.”

Concerns about the impact of affordability checks on racing’s income have been made clear by the sport’s leaders, with Arena Racing Company chief executive Martin Cruddace estimating digital turnover on British horseracing declined by £800 million in 2022, costing the sport £40m.

Charlie Parker, chief executive of the Thoroughbred Group and president of the Racehorse Owners Association, said the checks on punters were “frankly bizarre”, but added there had been encouragement from the government about the white paper.

“I know the BHA met with the [gambling] minister and met with the Gambling Commission, and it looks as if what the politicians are going to come up with is not as perhaps scary as some of the stuff that is going on at the behest of the Gambling Commission,” he said.

“Personally, I think the idea of governments or quangos telling people what they can and can’t spend their money on is frankly bizarre. It’s ridiculous, it’s mad and the unintended consequences for British racing, and for other funded sports, could be significant.

“The message coming out of Westminster is more positive than the actions in the world, so the sooner that catches up the better.”

Have you been affected by intrusive affordability checks? If so, we would like to hear from you. Email us (editor@racingpost.com) with the subject 'Affordability checks' to share your experiences and contact details

Read more . . .

'Enough is enough' – punters detail their frustration with intrusive checks

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