Précis Minutes Meeting January 2021

The HBF meeting took place remotely via Zoom on the 11^th June 2021

Colin Hord was in the chair.

Charter Update – Work to be revisited in light of the Gambing Act Review

SPRC/Overrounds – ongoing

Gambling Act review – awaiting the green light for HBF input

Minutes Of Previous Meetings – agreed

The Chairman’s update included:

Bushypark incident – HBF concerns were aired via a Racing Post article.

Competitiveness of National Hunt Racing – small fields continue to be an issue and are unattractive to bettors. The HBF agrees to support Lydia Hislop’s view that the structure needs reviewing in the near future.

Gambling Commission Consultation on Affordability – after much discussion the following points sere agreed:

• There is a clear difference between skill based betting (sports) and casino based betting (often luck) and we believe there is a smaller percentage of problems gamblers i racing than elsewhere.
• Our response should be constructive and offer a workable solution
• Ensure it is fully understood that the sport of racing need bettors to continue to fund the industry via the levy and elsewhere
• Propose that bookmakers monitor losses in terms of responsible betting, and look cor an alternative to the unworkable affordability checks being suggested
• Propose that bookmakers provide their customers with the tools/technology needed to help them manage there being and make this a regulatory requirement
• If affordability checks are to be introduced, then those should be implemented across all markets with the capability of identifying those who are continually losing large or regular amounts.
• If was noted that the BGC, Bill Barber (Racing Post) and Nick Luck all showed an interest in the HBF response.

Guest speakers:

Tom Byrne, Operations Manager, Horserace Betting Levy Board

After discussing the role of the HBLB, and the impacts of covid and the reliance on the Levy Board reserves, we then spoke about:

Televised Sunday Racing – Tom noted that although TV audiences have grown on a Sunday, betting turnover does not increase accordingly in comparison to a Saturday, and it would be difficult to improve the quality without removing races form elsewhere.

Sectional Timing – the long term aim of all TV channels showing racing having sectional timing onscreen was confirmed, though covid has moved the timelines. The issue of varying standards remains but TB assured us that this pwiuf be clearly aligned at the conclusion of the project.

BHA Update – Paul Johnson

Race Distance Alterations – HBF concerns were based on the the timing and referral of the information. Feeds from the racecourse are sent to Racing Admin and the BHA site but the Racing Post, Timeform ATR and RTV do not receive timely updates. PJ confirmed all standard distances are now correct and adjustments for rails movements had been configured into race distances. The HBF noted that the form book and Racing Past results continued to display incorrect distances ACTION PJ to establish the correct process and share a spreadsheet of correct race distances.

Sea Of Cool weight cloth incident – the HBF view of horses in similar circumstances being declared a non-runner for betting purposes were agreed to be taken back to the BHA for further consideration.

Place Terms – PJ noted that many bookies now offer four places on a 15 runner race and wondered whether bettors received these concessions from all bookmakers? CH explained this a being raised with the BGC as a part of bookmakers standardised terms.