BHA warns of ‘severe financial implications’ after affordability checks confirmed

The British Horseracing Authority is “hugely disappointed” the Gambling Commission has confirmed Financial Risk Assessments will be implemented, warning that racing faces “severe financial implications”.

In recent months the commission has been gathering and reviewing a wide range of factors such as data, stakeholder feedback and the outcomes of pilot schemes before making a final decision on the implementation of what are known widely in racing circles as affordability checks.

In April over 400 racing figures put their names to an open letter sent to Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, calling for the assessments to be scrapped, with the racing industry and bookmakers suggesting the measures will increasingly force people into using the black market and have dire consequences for the future of the sport.

However, while no date has been set for their full introduction, it has now been confirmed that a “streamlined approach to identifying and supporting high-spending customers in financial difficulties” will come into force.

Sarah Gardner, acting chief executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “We are confident that our approach, using high-quality data, will enable support for high-spending customers in financial difficulties, while reducing friction for customers who are not in financial difficulties by removing the need for unnecessary and unpopular document checks to understand financial risk.

“We have listened to feedback throughout the pilot process which has led to us deciding to carefully proceed. We will work with key partners to make sure that they are implemented in the most effective way for consumers and operators.”

In a strongly worded statement reacting the news, the BHA’s chief executive Brant Dunshea branded the decision “one of self-harm on an immense scale”.

He said: “We are hugely disappointed that the Gambling Commission will implement affordability checks which will have severe financial implications for British racing and the UK economy and subject racing bettors to unwarranted levels of intrusion.

“Over a number of years, and through several consultations, British racing has engaged in a spirit of huge goodwill to honestly advise the Government about the potential impact this policy would have on our sport and its fanbase.

“These concerns were shared by the betting industry, politicians, campaigners and policy makers, who warned of devastating unintended consequences on two major industries that are worth billions of pounds to the UK economy and employ more than 200,000 people across Britain. We understand these checks have been proven by the Gambling Commission’s own pilot to not be ‘fully frictionless’ as originally promised by successive Government ministers.

“Rather than protecting consumers, these checks will have the opposite effect: driving more customers to the illegal market – which puts them at much greater risk of gambling-related harm – and starving the Treasury of much needed tax revenue.

“Objective evidence from across the globe makes clear that this decision is one of self-harm on an immense scale that will have damaging economic and societal implications.”

The statement went on to say the decision was a “clear abdication of duty by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport” and that it is “the latest in a long chain of events that shows how little the DCMS has done for the country’s second-favourite sport”.

The BHA added it will now seek to work with the DCMS, the Gambling Commission and the betting industry to find ways to mitigate the worst impacts of the policy.

Estimates from the Betting and Gaming Council recently stated that as many as 120,000 people could be asked to provide documents to prove their identity, but the Gambling Commission stated the “vast majority of customers will never require a Financial Risk Assessment”.

The first stage of the implementation will see see the checks carried out by the largest operators when a £5,000 net deposit in a rolling 24-hour period is met.

Once fully implemented, the assessments will be applied to customers aged 25 years or older with net deposits exceeding £1,000 in a rolling 24-hour period or £3,000 over a rolling 90-day period. For under 25 these thresholds will be reduced to £750 in a rolling 24 hours or £2,000 in a rolling 90 days.

Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross said: “I welcome the Gambling Commission’s decision to implement financial risk assessments in a careful, phased way. Attention must now turn to successful implementation, so that financial risk assessments work for consumers, gambling operators and the wider ecosystem.

“The right balance must be struck so that assessments protect those in financial difficulties from the risk of gambling-related harm but do not create unnecessary burdens for the industry or consumers.”