After a survey showed high levels of opposition to stricter checks on the amounts that British customers are allowed to spend, the Chief Executive Officer of the UK gambling industry’s trade body, Michael Dugher, has called on the Government to pay attention to local gamblers over the rising concerns that these checks could push gamblers towards the black market.
Mr Dugher issued a warning to local policymakers following a survey from the horse racing broadcaster Racing TV, which showed that so-called affordability checks are facing strong opposition.
As Casino Guardian has recently reported, UK gamblers may be forced to present bank statements and payslips in order to prove their spending capacity to the authorities. The move has been considered as part of the ongoing Gambling Review of the Government and has been proposed as part of the authorities’ efforts to prevent local people from spending money they cannot actually afford to spend.
According to reports, about 95% of the people who took part in the Racing TV’s survey were unwilling to allow bookmakers to have access to their bank accounts. The majority of the survey respondents (about 85%) were also concerned that customers may turn to unregulated operators while looking for an alternative to the severe restrictions that are being considered in the sector.
Betting and Gaming Council Supports the Proposed Affordability Checks but Not for Every Gambler
In a statement, the CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council shared he was worried by the findings of the research, especially by the high number of respondents who actually believed that gamblers would simply shift their focus to the unregulated black market online in case the authorities decided to adopt enhanced affordability checks. He further called for the UK Government to take into account these views before making their final decision on the spending checks and other changes that could be made in the legislative and regulatory framework.
Mr Dugher explained that the trade body of the UK gambling industry and its members strongly supported the Gambling Review as an evidence-led process, but also reminded that it was extremely important for the new measures to hit the right balance between ensuring the necessary protection for all vulnerable gamblers in the country and not spoiling the enjoyment for the customers who gamble in a safe and responsible manner.
Despite his concern, the BGC’s boss reiterated their support for the proposed affordability checks but shared that, in his opinion, they should be carried out when it comes to customers who are considered vulnerable or at higher risk rather than on every punter. Mr Dugher noted that similarly to the poll commissioned by the UK gambling sector’s trade body earlier in 2021, the survey held by Racing TV showed that the unregulated and unsafe online gambling market was likely to benefit from the eventual failure of the Government to get the necessary changes in the country’s gambling industry right.
- Author
Daniel Williams
