A Member of Parliament from the Conservative Party has warned the British horseracing sector about the serious financial consequences it can face in case the proposed affordability checks of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) are eventually adopted.
Describing the UKGC as “the most out-of-touch” regulatory body in the UK, Philip Davies MP urged the country’s horseracing sector to argue for the proposed changes and noted that some of the details in the public consultation into stricter affordability checks showed a full lack of understanding of betting. Mr Davies, however, still believes that British lawmakers can be persuaded to ditch some of the most concerning proposals.
As previously reported by Casino Guardian, the UK Government published its White Paper on gambling at the end of April 2023 following a massive delay. As part of the measures included in the White Paper, local lawmakers proposed two tiers of checks that are supposed to be conducted by gambling operators in the country to make sure that their customers are able to afford their gambling expenditures. The first one would be triggered when individuals reach the £125 mark in their spending and would check for local gamblers’ financial details. The second one is considered a more enhanced and invasive check of personal finances that would be triggered when individuals reach the £1,000 mark of spending over a period of 24 hours, or the £2,000 mark of spending over a period of 90 days.
In July, the country’s gambling regulatory body published the detailed proposals for operating the aforementioned affordability checks. The detailed information on the matter highlighted that enhanced checks should be run every six months to make sure whether gamblers’ financial circumstances had changed.
Enhanced Affordability Checks Could Have Devastating Impact on the British Horseracing Sector, MP Claims
Philip Davies MP responded to the lawmakers’ proposals, saying that they embodied a full lack of knowledge about the industry that is currently monitored and controlled by the UK Gambling Commission. According to him, the stricter requirements would eventually have “crippling and absolutely devastating” consequences for the horseracing industry because they would prevent thousands of people, who are not problem gamblers, from betting on races and sports simply because of the limitations associated with the stricter checks.
According to Mr Davies, the seven-day limit for calculating customer accounts’ net losses is a particularly contentious element of the proposed affordability checks that simply do not make sense.
The Conservative MP further warned that if the proposals of the UK Gambling Commission are accepted by the Government in full, there will be limited opportunities for lawmakers to make any alterations. He believes that the Government should get a grip on the country’s gambling regulatory body in an effort to prevent the watchdog from destroying the racing industry and the enjoyment local people feel as a result of betting. Apart from that, he believes that the leaders and professionals in the racing sector in the UK could get the sympathy of the Government if they make a case and persuade the lawmakers that the consequences of the proposed changes will be devastating.
The consultation of the UK Gambling Commission on the proposed changes is set to close on October 18th.
- Author
Olivia Cole
