Poll: Should bookmakers implement minimum bet liabilities?

Bookies’ trading practices have always been a bone of contention in the industry but perhaps never more so than today with sections of the mainstream media increasingly becoming involved in the debate.

Stories of disgruntled customers struggling to either get bets on and/or having their accounts closed are now commonplace, while social media is awash with punters voicing their bookie frustrations.

Last week we saw the launch of Black Type Bet, an operator which hopes to use this debate to its advantage by appearing to side with punters – pledging not to close accounts and lay customers to a guaranteed minimum liability.

Its offer of a £500 takeout on UK and Ireland racing (as well as £1,000 on major sports) has received a mixed reception – some applauding the ‘old school bookmaking’ mentality with others questioning how long Black Type can survive with such a trading strategy in place.

Coral is one of the few bookmakers to offer a vaguely similar horseracing bet acceptance strategy, albeit in shop only, with the firm taking bet liabilities of £500 on all races from 11am, £2,000 on high quality races, and £5,000 on Channel 4 races (from 9am).

Meanwhile, the Australian state of New South Wales operates a minimum bet liability of AUS$2,000 (£1,150) on metropolitan racing, which has in turn heaped pressure on other states to do similar.

With this in mind, this week’s EGR poll asks whether you believe the UK should follow suit and require bookies to implement an industry-wide minimum bet liability guarantee. Have your say on the right-hand side of the page.