Almost two-thirds (65%) of UK bettors would not be willing to hand over financial documents such as bank statements and payslips in order to continue betting, according to the findings of a poll commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).
The survey into financial risk assessments was carried out by YouGov, with 2,094 adults over the age of 18 polled in March 2026.
The research also revealed unreported findings from a previous Gambling Commission survey obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, which showed 77% of 12,000 respondents opposed financial risk checks.
Described by the Gambling Commission (GC) as financial ‘vulnerability’ checks, the measure, according to the regulator, will “identify significant financial vulnerability at an early stage of the customer journey in order to be able to support customers who are significantly or particularly financially vulnerable”.
The GC ran a pilot programme last year to soft launch the checks, at the time claiming 97% of the financial assessments carried out during the trial were “frictionless”.
However, the measure has drawn significant opposition from industry stakeholders for some time, with the BGC warning onerous checks risk driving customers towards black market sources.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst said: “Ministers promised punters frictionless checks, but the Gambling Commission risks pushing ahead with the exact opposite.
“Forcing punters to hand over bank statements isn’t ‘frictionless’, it’s intrusive and will drive customers to the illegal market, where there are no safeguards at all.
“This poll sends a clear message from punters. A majority (65%) are unwilling to provide this kind of sensitive financial information, and the reality is that number could be even higher when these checks are rolled out in practice.
“These proposals will push customers away from the regulated sector and towards the harmful, illegal black market, undermining the very protections these checks are supposed to deliver.”
Hurst insisted the overwhelming majority of customers “bet safely and within their means”.
“We should be focusing on protecting the vulnerable, not placing unnecessary hurdles in front of millions of ordinary punters,” she added.
Earlier this week, the British Horseracing Authority wrote an open letter to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) urging a rethink into the formal implementation of affordability checks.
Amid the unpopularity surrounding financial risk assessments, the GC has regularly stressed affordability checks will not be a mandatory requirement for UK operators.
The point was reiterated by GC director of major policy projects and evaluation Helen Rhodes during a panel at iGB L!VE in July last year.
The post New YouGov poll finds 65% of bettors wouldn’t comply with affordability checks first appeared on EGR Intel.
Survey carried out on behalf of the BGC and involving almost 2,100 respondents revealed an unwillingness among the majority to submit personal documents to operators
The post New YouGov poll finds 65% of bettors wouldn’t comply with affordability checks first appeared on EGR Intel.