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A BBC investigation has revealed that the gambling regulator’s investigation into betting on the timing of the general election involves more people than previously disclosed.
We have heard that others with links to the Conservative Party and Government are also being investigated by the Gambling Commission.
Part of the gambling industry’s investigations in cases like these will seek to establish whether bets were placed not only by those who may have had access to privileged information, but also by those connected to them.
This could involve combing through social media to establish digital fingerprints that could offer clues about how people met each other, for example.
As we understand it, the Gambling Commission has asked betting companies to share details of anyone who has bet more than £20 on July’s election.
Labour is stepping up efforts to continue questioning the so-called “scandal”.
The party’s national campaigns coordinator, Pat McFadden, wrote to Gambling Commission chief executive Andrew Rose arguing that it was “in the public interest for the Gambling Commission to publish the names of other individuals it is investigating in this matter”.
“Particular attention will be focused on whether government ministers have placed bets on the election date before the election is announced,” he wrote.
In other words, Labour is stoking speculation, without any concrete evidence, that a minister or ministers may have made a gamble.
Campaigning is old and tough business, and without knowing the full list of those being polled, Labor can ask the question until every minister denies the bet.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are trying to draw parallels between these events and what is known as “partygate,” an incident that occurred between ruling parties when such gatherings were banned during the pandemic lockdown.
They claim this is evidence that Conservatives, or at least some of them, think there is one rule for them and another for everyone else.
Around 22.5 million people bet in the UK every month, roughly half the adult population, and it is expected that betting amounts are likely to be higher than usual right now because of the Euro soccer tournament.
So the political danger for the Conservative party is clearly that this controversy will be public, in other words, attention-grabbing.
Their concern is that further revelations may trickle out in the coming days which could further drown out their broader campaign themes – the dangers of what they call a Labour “supermajority” and potential tax increases for people if Labour comes to power.
The Gambling Commission reiterated the statements it has been making for the past few days.
A spokesman said: “The Gambling Commission regulates gambling in the interest of consumers and the general public. The commission is currently investigating possible unlawful activity in relation to Election Day.”
“This is an ongoing investigation and the committee is unable to provide any further details at this time.”
“We are neither confirming nor denying the identities of any individuals involved in this investigation.”
