UK affordability checks are 'bleak news' for racing Affordability checks have now been formalised by the government and the Gambling Commission in the UK. The news has been met with an impassioned response from those in the industry, including journalist and broadcaster Johnny Ward who spoke about the changes on this week’s Irish Angle show and described the new regulations as ‘bleak news’ for racing. What are the stages of implementation? The first stage of implementation will involve checks being carried out by the largest operators when a £5,000 net deposit in a rolling 24-hour period is met. Once fully implemented, the assessments will be applied to customers aged 25 years or older with net deposits exceeding £1,000 in a rolling 24-hour period or £3,000 over a rolling 90-day period. For under 25s, these thresholds will be reduced to £750 in a rolling 24 hours or £2,000 in a rolling 90 days. Johnny Ward believes one of the issues with regulation is that the number of problem gamblers is not reflected accurately: “We do need to make the point that the vast majority of people gamble responsibly. “A lot of the figures that are quoted about the number of people with gambling problems in Ireland are spouted as fact, but some of the numbers we've seen are absolute nonsense.” “In Britain, it's got to the stage where you're almost afraid to say you like having a bet. What the government and the Gambling Commission have done there gives me reservations.” Attitudes have changed Ward went on to discuss the changing attitudes towards racing in the gambling industry and said: “I actually discussed this with Paul Byrne a while back. The bookmakers' attitude towards horse racing has changed radically from a position when they couldn't survive without it. “Flutter's share price has struggled recently, but that's nothing to do with horse racing. I'd say if horse racing disappeared tomorrow, Flutter's share price would barely move at all. “But the attitude towards racing among bookmakers has changed radically.” Black Market flourishing Increased regulation is leading to the black market expanding and causing more issues according to Ward: “This is all worrying because, while the intention is to address problem gambling. “I feel we've gone far too far in treating it as this massive issue. It is an issue, but it's not as widespread as people often make out. “I don't want racing to be funded by problem gambling. Let's be honest, for a long time, problem gambling probably did help fund racing, and that's a problem. “But the more restrictions you introduce, the more people get fed up. More importantly, it encourages the black market, which is absolutely flourishing.” Ireland could follow suit Pundit Emma Nagle brought up the issue of punters being put off gambling and added: “Yeah, it'll definitely drive some people towards the black market. We mentioned the thresholds, but there'll also be lower thresholds for under-25s. “I think the main issue, in my mind, is that it'll simply put people off betting on racing altogether. They might not bother betting at all, whether that's through the black market or through the major bookmakers. “There have been plenty of figures quoted about how much this could cost racing, but it's definitely bleak news.” Paddy Flood believes Ireland won’t be far behind when it comes to the implementation of checks: “We now have a Gambling Regulatory Authority in Ireland, and I don't think it'll be a million miles behind what we've seen happen in the UK.” “It is very worrying because Ireland tends to be one of the last places to feel the full impact. Whatever happens in England eventually filters down here. “It was the same with the whip rules. When England changed them, we all thought, "Jeez, that's crazy. That'll never happen here." Here we are in 2026, and it has happened.” Watch the Irish Angle in full
