Government Faces Pressure to Respond
A proposed crackdown on gambling has ignited a huge wave of opposition, with nearly 25,000 people signing a petition in just one day. As a result, the government will be compelled to address the mounting anger over planned financial checks on gamblers.
Affordability Assessments Draw Criticism
The petition focuses on the government's intention to conduct affordability assessments on individuals who lose £125 within a month or £500 within a year. The significant number of critics voicing their opposition already requires an official response from the government. If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures, it will trigger a debate in Parliament.
Concerns Over Impact on Racing's Finances
The proposal has drawn criticism from various quarters. Julie Harrington, the chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, expressed grave concern about the potential financial implications for the racing industry. Harrington argued that blanket affordability checks are not appropriate and raised concerns about the discriminatory nature of assessing eligibility based on job titles or postcodes.
Government's Response
A spokesperson from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) defended the proposed checks, stating that they aim to protect individuals from significant financial losses. The spokesperson emphasized that the checks would be light-touch and frictionless. They clarified that the checks would only apply to the highest spenders and would not impose any new requirements on betting at race tracks or local betting shops. The spokesperson also stated that personal details, such as addresses, are already collected by betting companies during the sign-up process, but there are no plans to use postcode data to determine when checks are carried out.
