Ahead of the Game: British Horseracing Authority accused of ‘selling out sport’

Campaign group Clean Up Gambling has switched horses and is backing racing in the sport’s push to be regulated separately from online casinos and slots. 

Clean Up Gambling, which is funded by multimillionaire Labour donor Derek Webb and run by former party official Matt Zarb-Cousin, has called for racing to be exempt from affordability checks on punters and accused the British Horseracing Authority of “selling out the sport.” 

A growing civil war in the gambling industry has intensified over the past week with the chief executive of the country’s biggest racecourse operator, Martin Cruddace, accusing the Gambling Commission of being “unaccountable and out of control,” in an incendiary statement that was endorsed by Racecourse Association (RCA), the Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) and the National Trainers Federation (NTF). 

Racing’s main stakeholders are lobbying for the Gambling Commission to regulate the sport differently to the rest of the betting industry, specifically by removing the need for racing punters to be subjected to intrusive affordability checks.

These long-standing calls have grown louder following the publication of a Gambling Commission report last month which showed that the UK’s online betting turnover on racing declined from £10bn to £8.37bn between 2022 and 2024, with real-terms adjustments for inflation leading to reports of a £3bn black hole in racing’s finances.

The decision of Clean Up Gambling to come out in support of racing is potentially significant, as such efforts have been influential in the past. Zarb-Cousin previously ran the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, which lobbied successfully for a reduction in the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals from £100 to £2 a spin.

Zarb-Cousin told City AM that betting on racing should be licensed separately by the Gambling Commission without the need for affordability checks, on the grounds that it causes far fewer social harms.

The Gambling Survey of Great Britain, published earlier this year, revealed the problem gambling rate among racing punters as eight per cent, compared to 21 per cent in the casino sector.

“BHA bosses with a vested interest in online casinos have sold out racing,” he said. “They have lobbied to protect the status quo for a betting industry that is more interested in cross-promoting online slots, which has come at a huge cost to racing. 

“Racing should be distancing itself from the much more addictive forms of gambling, not allowing itself to be used to legitimise the practices of a sector that have led to demands for more regulation.

“You have to take the target off your back. If racing was to delineate from online casino and slot operations, if there was a separate licence, then we wouldn’t be having the situation where racing was subject to affordability checks. Racing is a completely different risk profile in terms of the product.”

Brady swerves West Ham in favour of Lords

West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady was a conspicuous absentee from the London Stadium on Monday night as Julen Lopetegui’s side beat Wolves to ease their fears of being dragged into the relegation zone. 

Instead of taking her usual seat in the directors’ box, Baroness Brady was on the red benches of the House of Lords debating the Football Governance Bill, which has had six lengthy sessions in the upper chamber since it was reintroduced to Parliament last month.

Brady is taking a particular interest in the Bill and has tabled more than 20 amendments herself out of 158 submitted by Conservative peers. EFL sources are convinced that Brady is operating on behalf of the Premier League, who have made clear their public opposition to the creation of an independent regulator, but neither party has been willing to confirm this.

The government is getting frustrated at what they perceive to be the delaying tactics being used by Conservatives in the Lords, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy telling MPs in the Commons yesterday that their colleagues in the other chamber “need to get on with it for the sake of the fans”.

Nandy can at least count on one significant ally on the opposition benches, however, as Shadow Culture Secretary Stuart Andrew is backing the bill. 

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has criticised the regulation of football, but City AM has been told that Andrew only took the job after receiving assurances he could support legislation he introduced when Sports Minister under the previous government last April.

Ashworth exit is blow to United women

Manchester United Women have lost their most senior advocate at the club with the sudden departure of Dan Ashworth as sporting director. 

Ashworth played a significant role in building up and promoting women’s teams in his previous jobs at the Football Association, Brighton and Newcastle, and had been holding monthly meetings with United manager Marc Skinner since arriving at Old Trafford in the summer.

Ashworth was also a regular at United Women’s games this season, including some away matches, in contrast to the attitude shown by the club’s de facto boss, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The Ineos co-founder has been frank in admitting that the club’s women’s set-up is not one of his priorities, as he demonstrated by failing to attend their FA Cup final win over Tottenham at Wembley in May.

Everton set to get keys to new stadium

Everton are expecting to take control of their new stadium from builders Laing O’Rourke next week, but have yet to hear if their takeover by the Friedkin Group will be approved before Christmas. 

The £800m new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock is almost complete and the contractors are ready to move out and formally hand over management of the site to the club.

The Premier League’s due diligence on the Friedkin Group, the American investors who also own AS Roma, is also close to completion but neither party has been given a completion date.