Battle over affordability checks and gambling adverts is more intense than ever

Parliament has officially returned from its summer recess and with that has come an escalation in the attempts to influence the government over its review of gambling legislation.

Ministers have said the 2005 Gambling Act is to be updated to make it "fit for the digital age" and, having launched its gambling review last December, the government is expected to produce a white paper before the end of the year.

One of the key areas of the review from racing's point of view will be that of affordability checks. Earlier this year – and separate to the government's review – the Gambling Commission ran a consultation on "remote customer interaction" which included a proposal that a monthly net gambling loss of as little as £100 would mean punters would have to prove their income in order to continue to bet.