One of the biggest events in U.K. sports betting, the Cheltenham horse racing festival from March 14 to 17, raised concerns leading up to it that a large number of people who planned on wagering couldn’t afford to.
The Online Betting Guide commissioned a study by YouGov of 1,007 gamblers from February 23 to March 2.
The study found that 11 percent of bettors would be betting more on Cheltenham this year, compared to 10 percent saying they planned to bet less than they did last year. About 23 percent said they would be betting the same amount.
Over the last year more bookmakers—at government urging—have started conducting affordability checks and asking patrons to prove they can afford to gamble.
Felix Faulkner, solicitor at the gambling licensing firm Poppleston Allen, told iGB: “If a betting establishment asks a customer for financial information and they are unable or unwilling to provide it, the company is well within its rights to refuse to take their bet.”
He added, “Bookmakers have a legal responsibility under their operating license conditions to minimize the risk of customers experiencing gambling harm. If they have concerns a customer might be trying to bet more than they can afford, it is advisable they refuse the bet.”
This can be problematic at times, said Faulkner: “It remains to be seen how the various on-course bookmakers will interpret the guidance this year.” He added, “In practice it can be difficult for them to work out who can afford what if there is a race starting in one minute and there are 20 people waving money at them to put a bet on, however compliance with license conditions is mandatory and operators should always act responsibly.”
