Sports Betting News: Henderson & Gosden Blast Affordability Checks

The British horse racing industry has warned the government that the formal introduction of betting affordability checks will cost the sector £250 million over the next five years.

Arena Racing Company chief executive Martin Cruddace has called on culture secretary Lucy Frazer to ditch the plans which he believes will kill the sport.

Numerous organisations from across the industry have supported Cruddace’s letter to Frazer, while several top trainers have also waded into the row.

Read on as we look at the latest developments with affordability checks, before assessing some of the other major stories from the sports betting industry.

Informal affordability checks carried out by betting sites have resulted in more than £1 billion of online betting turnover on British racing being lost since 2021.

Cruddace has urged the government to pause the formalisation of affordability measures until ‘objective research’ has been conducted into their viability.

Top jumps trainer Nicky Henderson has backed Cruddace, claiming ‘affordability checks are doing catastrophic damage to the rural heart of the UK’.

Leading flat trainer John Gosden has also expressed concern, suggesting that punters may turn to black market betting operations due to the intrusive nature of the proposed checks.

Having established itself as one of the best UK betting apps for eSports, Midnite has made a strategic move to focus its efforts on sports betting and casino games.

The site initially concentrated its efforts on eSports when it was first launched in 2020, forging several high-profile partnerships with the industry.

However, Midnite has shifted its attention towards its sportsbook and casino offering, with eSports failing to shake off its reputation as a ‘niche’ category from a betting perspective.

The firm will still offer eSports odds on major leagues and tournaments, but will plough more energy into promoting football and other traditional sports betting

Irish betting operators such as Boylesports have been handed a reprieve after the Irish government postponed a move to increase the betting levy.

The proposed change would see the tax rate rise from 2% to 3%, with the additional funds raised used to support domestic sports projects.

However, bookmakers in Ireland argued the increase would be detrimental to the industry, with some operators already struggling to stay afloat.

The delay will give time for the Irish gambling regulator to address the issue of black market bookies, which will boost revenues for fully licensed and regulated operators