Horseracing Bettors Forum: Understanding Responsible Gambling Practices
Horseracing bettors play a significant role in the industry, with millions engaging in betting activities each year. The Horseracing Bettors Forum (HBF), established with the support of the British Horseracing Authority, advocates for responsible betting practices to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all. Recognizing the potential harm of problem gambling, the HBF supports efforts to reduce risks while also highlighting the need for effective affordability checks and account restrictions within the realm of horseracing betting. Explore the insights and initiatives of the HBF in promoting responsible gambling in horseracing.
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Presentation Transcript
Presentation for the DCMS Gambling Act Review Team Horseracing Bettors Forum
Horseracing Bettors Forum Established in 2015 with the assistance of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) Voluntary body comprised of 10 members from all walks of life Represent the interests of all those who bet on British horseracing in a manner that benefits both bettors and the sport itself Ensure that those that enjoy betting on horseracing have a voice and seek to ensure that those who bet responsibly can continue to do so Meet quarterly and regularly meet officials from BHA, GC, Betting and Gaming Council, Levy Board and other horseracing industry stakeholders. HBF is independent and unfunded (save expense payments from BHA) https://ukhbf.org/
Horseracing and betting Estimated 7 million people a year have at least one horseracing bet Horseracing betting turnover in excess of 13 billion Levy provided 80 million to racing 5.6 million racegoers in 2019 94 days of British racing shown on ITV 2 dedicated horseracing channels (Sky Sports Racing and Racing TV) 1 dedicated horseracing daily newspaper - Racing Post Plethora of ancillary services, form guides, tipster services etc
Gambling Harm HBF support efforts to reduce problem gambling. Horseracing betting for millions is a safe and enjoyable pastime Significant improvements made by Operators E.g. profit and loss statements, deposit limits, self exclusion etc. More still can be done Use of data analysis of customer s gambling habits Use technology to identify those who are likely to become problem gamblers Limited data suggests that sports and horseracing betting to be less harmful than casino games Separate regulatory regimes for casino gaming, and sports and horseracing betting
Affordability Checks Should be used only as a last resort once all operator assessments and soft checks have been carried out. Majority of players bet responsibly, the law of averages dictates that bettors undergo losing runs. Any form of affordability check will stifle gambling since most (90%) players will refuse to provide their details. Potential for increased use of illegal, overseas and What sApp bookmakers Where required, affordability checks need to be carried out in a standardised way, independently, and ideally once. Betting history must be taken into account. Operators adequately ensure this information remains up to date. Information is kept for no longer than necessary and when not destroyed. Being held securely.
Account Restrictions Horseracing betting is a skill based gambling activity Some, especially those who take their betting seriously, can win Many winning bettors have their accounts restricted to the extent they can only bet to small stakes At present there are no official figures on how many accounts are closed or are restricted by bookmakers. GC should be compiling this information to ensure the betting market is fair and transparent. Bookmakers use sophisticated software to identify winners or those who show the traits of winning, many recreational bettors caught up in the net.
Account Restrictions Sports and horseracing betting is an aspirational pursuit. Bookmakers reduce the amount they could lose by restricting some winning customers. Bookmakers can then offer the losing players better odds, promotions and concessions. This is the antitheses of responsible gambling. In Australia there is a minimum bet liability requirement, for bookmakers to lay bets up to $1,000. One UK on-line bookmaker offers a minimum bet guarantee for win HBF have conducted surveys on this matter and see that bettors who become restricted lose interest in horseracing betting.
Single Customer View HBF responded to the outcome report from Phase 1 of the Gambling Commission s (GC) participation in the ICO s Regulatory Sandbox (Sandbox) Concerns of SCV include: the extent of any automated decision making; significant risk that if one operator erroneously classifies an individual as at risk of harm, the individual may be unable to avail of any online gambling services with any operator licensed by the Commission. Risks forcing customers to use unregulated, or black-market operators; time frame over which a player s gambling history will be taken into account; transparency of the scoring process; whether there will be a right to appeal a risk score /decision and if so, which body would hear such an appeal? the ability for a data subject to have their score rectified, in a timely and cost-efficient manner; whether gambling is currently (or would be) being conducted in a fair and open way, as required by Section 24 of the Gambling Act 2005; whether data will be used in profiling tools to assess trading risk and close winning accounts.
Summary Unintended consequences, not just for bettors: Reduction in online horserace betting = likely reduction in levy contribution Reduction in funding of the sport: prize money, horse population, breeding, attractiveness of British racing, economic impacts Proliferation in unregulated/black market betting Reduced terrestrial horseracing coverage Better solutions: Gambling operators have developed sophisticated algorithms that enable them to profile customers; i.e. Entain has developed its own tool. Greater use of GC s existing powers, increase resources Consider creation of independent adjudicator /ombudsman.
