No decision made yet on affordability checks

A decision has yet to be made on the controversial implementation of Financial Risk Assessments on bettors, after the Gambling Commission board met on Thursday to assess evidence presented to it.

As part of the process the commission has been gathering and reviewing a wide range of factors such as data, stakeholder feedback and the outcomes of pilot schemes.

Known widely in racing circles as affordability checks, the assessments are intended to help prevent problem gambling.

However, the racing industry and bookmakers believe the measures, which involve credit reference agencies and can ask punters to provide sensitive financial information, will increasingly force people into using the black market and have dire consequences for the future of the sport.

A spokesperson for the Gambling Commission told the Press Association: “The Gambling Commission Board met today to consider next steps on Financial Risk Assessments. It was presented with an extensive evidence base but has not yet fully completed its assessment of that evidence. We will communicate further in due course.”

In April a letter was sent to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy signed by 19 MPs urging her to suspend the checks, part of which said “it is not too late for you to reconsider the unintended consequences of your predecessor’s policies and ‘Save Our Bets’ to secure British horseracing’s future”.

Bookmakers have also been reported to be considering legal action as they have misgivings about the reliability of information available from credit reference agencies.