Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges has warned that affordability checks being rolled out in Britain risk driving bettors toward unregulated markets, adding pressure on racing jurisdictions globally.
Speaking at a private roundtable at Sha Tin Racecourse, Engelbrecht-Bresges described the checks as an “ill-measured” intervention that may satisfy regulatory requirements but create unintended consequences across the wider betting ecosystem.
The measures, referred to by the Gambling Commission as financial risk assessments, have been piloted in recent months. Early issues included inconsistencies between credit reference agencies, which in some cases produced different outcomes for the same customer. Despite this, the regulator has defended the initiative, with senior officials suggesting criticism has been “ill-informed or inaccurate” in its first substantive update on the pilot in nearly a year.
Engelbrecht-Bresges said findings from the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities indicate that the introduction of affordability checks has coincided with a significant increase in traffic to offshore betting sites not licensed in Great Britain. “The regulators only see the local situation,” he said.
“Some of their measures are ill-measured because you have to think not only about perception, but about consequences.” He added that the checks risk functioning as a “box-ticking exercise,” pushing consumers toward unregulated operators and potentially exacerbating harm rather than mitigating it.
The concerns come as the UK government weighs whether to proceed with a broader rollout of affordability checks, potentially as early as next month. Industry opposition has intensified, with more than 400 figures from British racing recently calling on Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to halt implementation.
At the same time, projections suggest the scale of the unregulated market could continue to grow. New analysis cited during the discussion estimates that black market operators could spend up to GBP1 billion ($1.35 billion) on advertising in the UK by 2028, potentially surpassing the combined spend of licensed firms.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club chief has previously highlighted the risks posed by illegal gambling channels. In its latest annual results, the Club reported total betting and lottery turnover rising 5 percent year-on-year to HKD320 billion ($40.9 billion) for the 2024–25 period, while warning of a “rising threat” from unlicensed operators.
Beyond affordability checks, Engelbrecht-Bresges also pointed to structural issues within British racing, including debates around transparency in barrier trials. He contrasted this with Hong Kong’s approach, where trials are routinely filmed and timed for public access. He further suggested that the influence of fixed-odds bookmakers on UK policy-making may be distorting regulatory outcomes, describing the dynamic as “not healthy for an industry.”
Looking ahead, Engelbrecht-Bresges emphasized the potential role of the Hong Kong-led World Pool in shaping global racing standards. He indicated that participation in the initiative could increasingly be tied to minimum requirements around transparency and data provision. “The World Pool has a massively positive impact on the industry,” he said. “You cannot ask to be part of it and not play a full part.”
He added that revenues generated through the pool could be directed toward broader industry priorities, including horse welfare, scientific research, and the development of common standards across jurisdictions.
More broadly, Engelbrecht-Bresges framed the current moment as a critical juncture for global racing, calling for coordinated decision-making to secure long-term sustainability. While expressing support for reform efforts previously outlined by former British Horseracing Authority chair Lord Allen, he cautioned against moving too quickly without securing industry alignment.
“Racing is in an essential moment, not a crisis,” he said. “It has to decide what the future is.”
