Bookmakers: affordability checks will extend to shops

Independent bookmakers have called affordability checks on customers a “complete mess” after expressing concern that they may have to carry out checks on customers in betting shops.

The concerns from the bookmakers come as the UK Gambling Commission assured that affordability checks would only be carried out by those betting online and not at retail bookmakers or racecourses following the release of the much-anticipated UK gambling white paper in April. Despite this, bookmakers remain skeptical about the affordability checks.

it’s going to be a complete mess”

Howard Chisholm, managing director of Chisholm Bookmakers, said: “The problem with affordability checks is that while they start online they will almost certainly be applied in shops. This is going to be done without any guidance and it’s going to be a complete mess.”

Move to the black market?

There are fears that without frictionless measures in place for the affordability checks, bettors are going to move to the black market.

On Friday, it was reported that the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) had criticized the Gambling Commission after it claimed that the threat of the black market on the racing industry was “overstated.”

73% of 296 respondents indicated that they would consider using the black market

According to Andrew Rhodes, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, the size of the gambling black market in the UK is “very small, but estimates do vary.” Figures presented to Rhodes from the Horseracing Bettors Forum showed that 73% of 296 respondents indicated that they would consider using the black market if they were required to hand over more private information to bookmakers in order to continue betting.

The BHA has argued that the black market will have “significant financial implications” on the industry.

“Let people be adults”

As opposed to casinos where the stakes are higher, at retail bookmakers the average stake is around ￡12-￡13 ($15-$16), according to Greg Knight, managing director of JenningsBet, who added that anti-money laundering and social responsibility already take place at betting shops.

Knight is of the opinion that the steps the government is taking will eventually impact people’s lives. “The government is quick to try and alleviate fears, but you have got to let people be adults,” Knight said.

checks wouldn’t give gambling companies the right to access customers’ full bank account data

In a bid to further alleviate concerns among bettors and bookmakers, Rhodes said that enhanced affordability checks would only be conducted on around 3% of all betting accounts. He added that these checks wouldn’t give gambling companies the right to access customers’ full bank account data and the proposals would only apply to online gambling.

“They would not apply to betting in bookmakers or at the racetrack,” Rhodes said.