James Makey’s Post

Problem gambling is an issue and we all want to do what we can to protect and support individuals who need that. Current (well-intentioned) proposals to address this however have the potential to significantly damage #horseracing and significantly impact the freedom of individuals who enjoy a bet on the races as a leisure pursuit. Whilst the government hopes that these "affordability checks" can take place in the background (similar to credit checks when you apply for a loan or bank account), punters (including me!) are already being asked to provide bank statements and financial documents to their bookmaker before they are allowed to place further bets. This is the equivalent of going to the pub and being asked to show your bank balance to the barman before he will agree to sell you a drink. Aside from being massively intrusive, this is already causing people to "walk away" rather than comply and I personally am not using my account where such information has been requested. Horse Racing and betting are closely linked with revenues from bookmakers helping to fund prizemoney, so these changes could really damage the sport and all who work in racing. There are other mechanisms that can identify problem gamblers such as checking changes in betting patterns, chasing losses or increasing stakes and these could be implemented without affecting "normal" punters. The industry has launched a petition to protest against this and the more e-signatures that are received the better. 100,000 signatures trigger a parliamentary debate. It takes seconds to sign and the link is below. Please spare a few seconds to support this.

The press are once again consumed with scandal. Corruption among politicians and police officers! Covert bets using insider information to secure easy winnings. Imagine the spectacle if Boris Johnson, as initially intended, had become the face of Paddy Power's advertising for the Euro football tournament—his image plastered on posters while Rishi's team are caught offside! This tempest in a teapot once more highlights the deplorable state of public office in Great Britain. BUT - It also reflects how deeply companies like Paddy Power and bet365 have ingrained themselves in the daily lives of people from all walks of life, such that a politician's moral compass might tell them that it was perfectly ok to place a bet on themselves losing an election! This situation has arisen in part because billions spent in advertising have normalized and glamorized online gambling, much like actors in the '50s and '60s did with smoking. Then it was deemed cool and fun until the harsh consequences of a 20-a-day habit became apparent, making it difficult to quit and hastening an unhealthy demise. Online 'Free Bets' are akin to tobacco firms distributing free cigarettes to children in African cities as part of their 'try once, hooked forever' policy. Online gambling employs more sophisticated tools - as one of the most aggressive users of AI profiling, they understand your behavioural patterns better than you do. These tools help perpetuate the greatest falsehood—that RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING is entirely down to you. 'When the fun stops, stop,' they say! ignoring the fact that they've turned the mobile phone in your pocket into a supercharged betting shop, sending you alerts every five minutes, open 24/7. Combined these Tech Tools drive habituation. Professor Gerda Reith of the University of Glasgow refers to this as 'Addictive Consumption' because it intentionally drives consumption to excess, well beyond any enjoyment. Consequently - Gambling also has a massive health impact—not physical like tobacco, but profoundly damaging psychologically, with increases in #mentalhealth disorders, #debt and #suicide. (1 person every day takes their lives in the UK - AND - 70% of college students now gambling online - This is a public health issue - and it is going to explode very soon. Until recently I was unaware of the inroads online gambling was making into our lives, then Mark an ex-colleague and friend contacted me to tell me how Gambling virtually destroyed his life. We are now working together as partners, turning that terrible life experience into new insight for law makers, education for those at risk, and creating a global youth alliance against gambling exploitation. It is early days, and we are up against the might of a multi billion industry - So we need help & are building a network of support from the World Health Organization to the The Kennedy Forum in the US with more announcements to follow soon. Read Mark's story as it appeared in UnHerd today.

The number of people being investigated by the Gambling Commission for potential ‘cheating’ when placing bets on the timing of the General Election appears to be growing. Unsurprisingly it’s been mentioned a lot in the last few days that a person commits an offence under s.42 of the Gambling Act 2005 if they ‘cheat’ at gambling. Relevant case law and the Commission seem to place weight on the use of ‘inside information’ to gain an ‘unfair advantage’. Leaving aside potential criminal sanction, what else follows? Will this affect the future of 'specials' markets? Will this add to the current review of the gambling market in the UK? Will operators be checking their terms and conditions and ensuring they can void the bets or possibly even rely on an indemnity? Will the Commission void the bets because they are ‘substantially unfair' (s.336)? Will there be other punters being investigated for the same bets? All very interesting…. (to me, anyway!) As a final point - credit to the operators involved for picking this up! Clearly their checks work.

Dive into our new blog exploring the statutory levy - how it’ll work, our thoughts on it, and what it means for reducing gambling harms across England, Scotland and Wales. Read our full consultation response: https://ow.ly/qSFN50QjejB

YOU NEED TO SEE THIS: The Queensland Government made $1.9 billion in gambling taxes last year, but only spent 0.6 per cent on harm minimisation programs so Relationships Australia (Qld) is speaking up. Low-income households, for whom every cost-of-living hike is plunging them into more and more debt, are making risky financial decisions and finding themselves into desperate circumstances. These households need expert support, but as of June 2023, Queensland only had 93 registered Financial Counsellors. The Queensland Government must provide funding to increase the number of Financial Counsellors in Queensland and ensure service gaps in regional areas of Queensland are addressed. Let’s Make Queensland Fair. Read the full story by Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) here: https://lnkd.in/gSsK-f_q

"I'm really good at gambling. I think I'm going to make this my job now." What do you think? Is gambling a good way to make money? FACT: Of the people who claimed "professional gambler" on their income tax returns, a very low percentage of those individuals had an income in the positive numbers. The vast majority not only didn't have an income, but they actually lost money for the year. Even gambling operators will tell you that gambling is not a good way to make money. Draft Kings responsible gambling site says explicitly, "Gambling should not be viewed as a pathway to financial gains or shortcut to financial success." Contact Nicasa for help: [email protected], 847-546-6450. #gambling #ProblemGambling #money

The UK horseracing industry has launched a petition against the UK Government's proposal for affordability checks on losing gamblers. The proposal includes two tiers of checks, with the first tier targeting those who lose as little as £125 in 30 days or £500 in a year, while the second tier would scrutinise customers losing £1,000 within 24 hours or £2,000 in 90 days. These checks would involve credit reference agencies and personal documentation such as bank statements and proof of earnings. Industry experts opine that the checks aim to determine if a customer's gambling activity is potentially harmful to them. https://lnkd.in/eJusNs4e #UKbetting #affordabilitychecks #bettingindustry #bettorprivacy #unregulatedplatforms #horseracing #bettingrevenues

Another example of selective wording and incorrect information that is not helping the public perception of any discussions around affordability checks. To state that ‘customers would have to prove their financial stability at £125 loss in a month or £500 in a year’ is misleading. In reality, a check would be completed in the background to ensure a customer is not listed as bankrupt, has a debt relief order or CCJ’s. Only if a customer is linked to financial debt / vulnerability indicators would any action be required. This media scaremongering will only prove to waste time when any debate in parliament takes place, with many members of the public not aware of the actual process that has been proposed. The sooner a debate happens the better to quash some of this misinformation that is constantly being written and raise awareness that this isn’t as bad as the public currently believes.

What could a Labour Government mean for gambling companies and the UK’s review of the Gambling Act? Atticus Senior Consultant Alexander T. discusses the pressures that a new Government may come under from campaigners, and the regulatory environment in the UK that at present, prevents the sector from modernising. Read here: https://lnkd.in/e6vTbz2q

The odds are slim that you’ll be waiting with bated breath today for news from a Westminster Media Forum, but if you work with gambling brands, there’s a lot at stake. There are some phenomenal statistics related to the gambling industry, but the most telling one is that since the inception of the National Lottery, almost half of all adults now gamble once a month. And yet, the Lottery isn’t officially considered gambling, doesn’t come under the jurisdiction of the Gambling Commission, and will get little or no attention in today’s discussions. If they come into play, then last years’ proposals of a statutory levy and a gambling ombudsman may mean the sector has to adapt an awful lot, but it’s a safe bet to say it’ll all mean little to the Lotto. https://lnkd.in/gADP6rfs