Why bookies are feeling obliged to bring in backdoor affordability procedures

The first landmark in the government's gambling review was reached last week with the end of its 16-week call for evidence, a staging post that was marked by a number of announcements from within the gambling industry.

Entain, the parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral, was among them as it revealed it was in the process of rolling out technology-led affordability checks across the 14 brands in its stable.

The prospect of standard affordability checks being imposed on the industry has caused a great deal of concern not only among bookmakers but also British racing, with estimates of the potential impact on the sport of the most stringent rules stretching from £60 million to as much as £100m a year.