Affordability Checks - May 2026 - Best Practice

[Wayward Lad]

With the potential announcement next week of Affordability Checks becoming 'official', then maybe it would be of value to everyone on this Forum if FJ's share their views around this topic so that we can learn from each other, learn from those that have gone through the process and maybe form a best practice approach when the Enemy knocks on your door?.......also what to expect and do if we say NO.

Maybe as a starter for ten:

1) Have you been approached by a bookmaker for financial information under the guise of GC guidance? - what did they request? - did you comply? - what was the process? - if you didn't comply what happened?

2) If you haven't been approached by a bookmaker yet, then WHEN you are (NOT IF YOU ARE) what do propose to do when they ask for your personal and financial information?

Based upon yesterdays RP article, then i'd suggest that ALL FJ's will be asked for invasive financial information if the GC get their way and next week announce that Affordability checks are now 'official'.

For me , then i am in the camp of not wishing to comply, based mainly upon principle but also because i don't trust the bookmakers to protect my data. Whilst there maybe data protection laws, then i can picture these data collection admin offices, operated by minimum wage spotty teenagers undertaking a laborious administrative task which will be ripe for leaks and unprofessionalism. Also this huge amount of personal financial information will have a monetary value to anyone who holds it, or has access to it.

If i refuse to comply and do not provide financial information, then from what i have read, my account will be 'temporarily' suspended/frozen with no bets taken and no withdrawals allowed. How long does this last in reality? - if they then decide to close your account, do they return all 'balance' monies? - what happens to AP bets - are they voided and stakes returned or let run? - i suspect voided, which i think is unfair and potentially open to challenge as their tradable value maybe more than the actual stakes. Should we as FJ's incorporate this into our thinking with our 2027 festival bets if our position is to not comply with providing financial data?
- i believe bookmakers may have different rules as to how to deal with closed accounts, so does this further impact our approach?
- maybe the easier way to deal with this issue is to simply comply? - if we do this could the outcome be that due to the bookmakers having more information about our income that they become more active with prompts/interaction with our betting? - with AP book building then we may need to have some larger than usual stakes to balance the book and maybe restricted upon their view of our 'affordability'?
- if we are driven to 'black market' bookmakers as a result of this draconian policy, them how do we find them? - are we confident about their ability/willingness to pay? - what happens if we get a little AP multiple up?

Lots of questions i know, but i see this as a threat to doing something i thoroughly enjoy and have enjoyed for the last 40 or so years and would ideally like to plan and defend against the potential impact, rather than simply reacting to it once it happens.

 

[BigChaang]

I haven't been asked to provide any information myself , I imagine if I am in the future , I will decline .
As far as Cheltenham and A/P is concerned , I will do my best to get a selected bet on at any bookmaker - probably in shop.
If that becomes impossible ., I will probably stop A/P. . And just bet during the festival itself.
Any more complicated than that , and I guess I'll have to take up Golf..

 

[Quevega]

I’ve not been asked aside from bank statements to validate account for withdrawal
Or ID
I’ll provide pretty much anything they ask for within reason
I doubt very much if anything they ask for will be of much use to any data thief’s
Our data is fucking everywhere anyhow
But it’s personal choice
The only thing that will stop me really is apathy if what they ask for becomes onerous

 

[Eggs]

….good thread.

I’ve not been asked anything so far, not sure what I’ll do when I am, I suppose it depends on what they want.

 

[Benjy23]

I've not been asked for anything by the bookies by I did see my credit report recently and they'd done some credit checks before a deposit.

I wouldn't be too concerned by giving them info personally. But maybe I'm naive!

 

[Hurricane fly]

When I was at uni banned myself from Skybet Poker. When I wanted to open up a FF account I had to unban myself from all elements so they asked me questions.

I told them I earn £130,000 a year(at 19 lol) , lived at home and the only outgoing I had was a £15 phone bill.

Fair to say they didn't put any real restrictions on me and never asked for proof.

I suspect it would be different this time around

 

[somer1]

Never been asked any questions yet but! One question and i off. I worked my tits off every week. Cleared my mortgage in 13yrs. If i get asked one fucking question i have a PP,Lad,2BF and 2WH shops to go around and will cut my betting in half as wont be backing every week on a sat. Where does this stop? Walk into a bar and get asked when was the last time i had a beer and can i afford it. Utter bollox in my book! Fuckers dont ask me if i can afford the VAT on shit! Rant over Have a great day. Fucking PS. They cut your accounts to bits and still want ya cash. Im now at no offers from PP,Sweet FA from WH,Coral just hit me with 3000 Coral coins for 3 free spins . And dont get me started on ante post prices! The bookies and the Gov are fucking raping us but we have to take it! Now rant over.

 

[riccirich]

Never been asked any questions yet but! One question and i off. I worked my tits off every week. Cleared my mortgage in 13yrs. If i get asked one fucking question i have a PP,Lad,2BF and 2WH shops to go around and will cut my betting in half as wont be backing every week on a sat. Where does this stop? Walk into a bar and get asked when was the last time i had a beer and can i afford it. Utter bollox in my book! Fuckers dont ask me if i can afford the VAT on shit! Rant over Have a great day. Fucking PS. They cut your accounts to bits and still want ya cash. Im now at no offers from PP,Sweet FA from WH,Coral just hit me with 3000 Coral coins for 3 free spins . And dont get me started on ante post prices! The bookies and the Gov are fucking raping us but we have to take it! Now rant over.

Imagine 30-40 years ago telling people that in the future the government will set you allowances for how much of your money your allowed to spend on your chosen pass times. Because as a grown adult you can't be trusted to know that yourself .

The reality is this nonsense needs to be put a stop to right off the bat if people want to keep living with some semblance of freedom. But do enough people care enough to choose short term hassle over convenience? Probably not.

 

[BigChaang]

Never been asked any questions yet but! One question and i off. I worked my tits off every week. Cleared my mortgage in 13yrs. If i get asked one fucking question i have a PP,Lad,2BF and 2WH shops to go around and will cut my betting in half as wont be backing every week on a sat. Where does this stop? Walk into a bar and get asked when was the last time i had a beer and can i afford it. Utter bollox in my book! Fuckers dont ask me if i can afford the VAT on shit! Rant over Have a great day. Fucking PS. They cut your accounts to bits and still want ya cash. Im now at no offers from PP,Sweet FA from WH,Coral just hit me with 3000 Coral coins for 3 free spins . And dont get me started on ante post prices! The bookies and the Gov are fucking raping us but we have to take it! Now rant over.

On the coral coins thing , yeah , that's a kick in the balls alright ,, I used to collect a fair few free spins , free bets from the money won , I think I managed 4000 points one extraordinary month..
Not a chance now. .

 

[Lobos]

Have experienced only recently that AP bets placed on machines in shops are being referred and take a while to be accepted and I'm talking small bets for not very big returns.

 

[BigChaang]

We're Doomed !! , Doomed I tellye !!.
Captain Mainwaring !...
Well , I bloodywell hope Not !. .

 

[That Horse]

Could be worse. A work colleague of mine recently came back from a trip to Zimbabwe where he told me any winning bet has 25% deducted due to government tax.