MONDAY could give an indication of how much political influence Britain’s racing and betting industry holds as it will see a parliamentary debate take place in Westminster on whether online punters should be subjected to affordability checks.

Affordability or financial risk checks are a hot topic in Britain, with virtually all betting companies coming under pressure from the Gambling Commision to ensure that their customers are betting within their means. Checks are sometimes activated when a customer loses £100 in a month.

This has prompted an outcry from thousands of punters who have been asked by betting companies to supply details of their earnings and bank statements. If punters refuse to comply, their accounts are typically restricted or frozen. This, in turn, affects British racing’s revenue streams.

Late last year a petition to stop affordability checks being implemented garnered over 100,000 signatures in Britain, thus ensuring the matter must be discussed in the House of Commons.

Now the British Horseracing Authority is urging MPs to take part in Monday’s debate, warning that as many as 1,000 stable staff could lose their jobs if affordability checks - which are already in place - become formally part of gambling regulation.

A statement from the BHA read: “As the petition has demonstrated, there is widespread opposition to affordability checks among the public, who feel that they should be able to participate in a legitimate leisure activity without the potentially disproportionate interventions represented by one-size-fits-all state-mandated affordability limits.

“There has been little opportunity for MPs to scrutinise such significant changes to gambling regulations which, if introduced, could cost the sport of horseracing up to £50 million per annum. It is therefore vital that as many MPs as possible attend the debate so that this important issue is subject to the appropriate level of parliamentary scrutiny.

“While we want to manage expectations on whether the debate can deliver an immediate change in Government policy, we continue to call for a rethink on the proposals to strike a better balance between protecting vulnerable customers and allowing those who gamble safely and responsibly to do so unimpacted.”

There are no plans to introduce affordability checks in Ireland, says Minister James Browne.