The government and Gambling Commission have so far failed to produce any compelling evidence that affordability checks will have a tangible impact on reducing problem gambling, according to MP Jerome Mayhew.
Mayhew, the Conservative MP for Broadlands, which takes in Fakenham racecourse, said the apparent lack of data pointing to the potential effectiveness of the measures proposed in the gambling review white paper in lowering levels of gambling harm meant questions needed to be asked as to whether the proposals should be reconsidered in light of the damage they are already causing racing’s finances.
British racing has estimated it would lose up to £50 million a year over the next five years as a result of affordability checks being formally introduced. The sport’s income has already been hit by bookmakers imposing intrusive checks on customers, such as requesting bank statements, under pressure from the Gambling Commission.
“It’s like a lot of things – don’t make the cure of one problem the origins of the next one,” Mayhew said. “We need to recognise that for some people problem gambling is terrible and it ruins lives.
“However, I’m not aware of any significant data that says, ‘What we’ve done so far has had any measurable impact’, which after two and a half years you would expect. Or even if you didn’t have it yet, you would expect to review the existing measures and look for evidence before deciding to double down.”
Mayhew, who holds a role in the Treasury and sits on a number of all-party parliamentary groups, including as chair of two APPG groups pertaining to finance, said he was acutely aware of the ecosystem of businesses that operate around Fakenham and the likely impact it would have on it if the finances of the track suffered.
The potential cataclysmic impact of affordability checks on racing’s finances has been highlighted to racegoers at Fakenham, with the course’s chief executive David Hunter saying that the proposals were “outrageous” and that “nowhere else in life does the government decide what you can and can’t spend your income on”.
This message chimes with Mayhew, who has had the opportunity to engage with Hunter not only at the course but also through his role as a member of the Fakenham town council.
He said: “If the Gambling Commission or the government come forward with evidence that what they have done has helped then I would have to stop and think again. What I don’t want to happen is big costs to be imposed on an important and beneficial industry without proper analysis.
“Racing is important economically as it contributes hundreds of millions of pounds to the UK economy and it is a great country activity. It supports a huge range of businesses and is a societal good.
“It’s massively funded by gambling and there is a symbiotic relationship, although we have to recognise there is a social disbenefit to gambling for some people. It’s a very small minority but we should not be blind to that and should be taking effective steps to reduce the negative impact of gambling. But the important thing to do is to take effective steps.”
Jerome Mayhew MP: concerned by a lack of data on the effectiveness of affordability checksCredit: London Portrait Photoqrapher-DAV
The opportunity to discuss what steps should be taken comes up this month when a debate will be held in Westminster Hall on February 26 in response to a petition calling for affordability checks to be scrapped passing 100,000 signatures from the public in less than four weeks.
A cross-industry push was launched last month to make MPs aware of the debate and its importance to the future of horseracing in Britain, with MPs such as Matt Hancock, Laurence Robertson, Adam Afriyie and Philip Davies outlining their intention to attend the meeting.
Mayhew, who was present at the Westminster Hall debate organised by Hancock last October, said it presents an important opportunity to talk directly to government.
“We live in a free society and if people want to bet then great,” he said. “When I go racing I have a bet as a frisson. It gives something extra to a race and it’s a thrill. So even though I often lose, I positively enjoy the experience.”
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