UK Parliament to debate racing checks following petition

Following a public petition on the implementation of financial risk checks for bettors, the Petitions Committee has confirmed that the matter will now be debated in the UK parliament.

The petition, which has now surpassed 100,000 signatures, states that it seeks to persuade the government “to abandon the planned implementation of affordability checks for some people who want to place a bet.”

It claims that such checks are “inappropriate and discriminatory.”

Speaking in reaction to the news, Julie Harrington, chief executive of the British Horseracing authority, issued a statement. In it, she stated: “The fact that our survey reached the required 100,000 signatures threshold in just 27 days is powerful testament to the strength of feeling shared by bettors over the proposed checks.

“No other form of leisure activity is subjected to the kinds of restrictions being proposed by the Government and so it is right that MPs have the chance to forensically debate this issue.

“The BHA and other racing stakeholders will work with MPs on both sides of the House to ensure that the views of British racing and those who bet on the sport are properly represented within the debate.”

The Parliamentary debate will take place on 26 February 2024.