Affordability Checks Face Delay Pressure in UK Gambling

Dr James Noyes, a senior fellow at the Social Market Foundation and an early supporter of affordability checks, has written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy calling for a halt to the policy. This letter comes amid growing concerns from the racing industry and betting stakeholders about the potential impact of the checks on regulated markets.

Reform Advocate Calls for Pause

In his letter, Noyes argued that affordability checks were originally proposed as a ‘worthy idea in principle,’ but only under specific conditions. These included ensuring checks would be non-intrusive, supported by stronger consumer protections, and would not disrupt the majority of customers who are engaging in legal betting activity.

However, Noyes said he is now ‘deeply concerned over a lack of transparency’ surrounding the pilot scheme.

The UK Gambling Commission launched the trial of financial risk assessments in September 2024. They repeatedly cited their aim to create frictionless background checks to identify customers at risk of gambling-related harm.

Despite the pilot running for well over a year, no final findings have been published, and any updates have been limited. Reports have suggested inconsistent data and unclear outcomes, prompting calls for further scrutiny before the checks are rolled out nationwide.