Cross-party MPs urge UK government to abandon gambling affordability checks

MPs representing 19 British racecourses have urged culture secretary Lisa Nandy to halt the proposed rollout of gambling affordability checks amid warnings the measures could cost horse racing £250 million ($A470 million) over the next five years.

The cross-party intervention follows claims from bookmakers that the checks, formally labelled financial risk assessments by the Gambling Commission, may be vulnerable to legal challenge after pilot schemes reportedly showed inconsistent credit reference data could force one in five regular punters to provide financial documents.

A YouGov survey commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council found two-thirds of respondents would refuse to hand over personal financial information to continue betting, while the industry body estimates an additional 120,000 customers could become subject to checks under the proposed framework.

In the open letter, the MPs argued there had been insufficient parliamentary scrutiny and inadequate transparency surrounding the Gambling Commission’s pilot program, adding that ministers had previously pledged affordability checks would only proceed if they were “fully frictionless” for consumers.

The letter, signed by MPs from five political parties representing constituencies including Aintree, Ascot, Epsom and Newmarket, calls on Nandy to intervene before Thursday’s Gambling Commission board meeting amid growing industry fears that tougher regulation is driving bettors towards the illegal gambling market.