The Gambling Commission has widened its inquiry into bets on the date of the general election, it has been reported.
Sky News has said that investigators have written to leading bookmakers asking for details of bets of £20 or more placed only days before Rishi Sunak announced that there would be a July election.
The watchdog will also look at whether people with inside knowledge may have asked a third party to place a bet for them.
ITV reported that an initial trawl by the Commission had brought to light “many names” to investigate.
Mr Sunak announced the date of the election on 22 May, and it has since emerged that at least two MPs and two other senior Tory figures placed bets that the poll would be in July.
Nick Mason, the Conservative party’s chief data officer, was reported to have been told that he was part of the inquiry into betting on the date of the election before it was public knowledge.