- Nearly two-thirds of British bettors oppose providing financial documents to continue betting.
- The Gambling Commission is set to launch affordability checks for wagering in May, which would have great consequences for blackjack, casinos, and horse racing industries.
- The British Horseracing Authority sent a letter to the Secretary of State, expressing their concern of players using alternative offshore operators, which can be applied to blackjack as well.
LONDON – Affordability checks are facing heavy pushback from UK bettors. A recent survey issued by the Betting and Gaming Council showed that 65% of bettors won’t provide required banking documents to be allowed to bet.
The UK Gambling Commission is set to enforce mandatory affordability checks that require financial documents to evaluate risk next month. If this goes into effect, many bettors will shift their legal blackjack wagers to offshore operators that don’t require the invasive affordability checks.
UK Betting Affordability Checks Face Strong Pushback
In addition to convincing results from the BGC survey, more than 100,000 people signed a petition against the affordability checks back in 2024. The concerns have been seen within the blackjack and casino industry, but the horse racing industry has been the most vocal against these affordability checks.
In a letter from British Horseracing Authority to DCMS Secretary of State Lisa Nandy, they expressed concerns over affordability checks’ negative impact on the horse racing industry.
“Despite our repeated warnings, the Commission seems intent on pursuing this highly controversial policy regardless of the consequences for Britain’s second most-popular sport,” the letter reads. “These proposals would do lasting damage to a major British industry, which provides more than 85,000 jobs, contributes more than £4bn to the country’s economy and is a leader on the world stage.”
The same logic can be applied to blackjack casinos that employ thousands of people throughout the United Kingdom. If the checks do pass, it can be assumed that they will cause a decline in blackjack revenue throughout the country.