UK’s Prime Minster Keir Starmer and his Labour party received tens of thousands of pounds as donations and corporate hospitality from betting companies and other senior figures in the sector, parliamentary records show. 

The Labour Party received more than £1 million in donations from casino bosses who made their fortunes in the sector in the past two years. This comes after Starmer and other senior Labour Party members were hit by a backlash for accepting freebies, including wardrobe upgrades, luxury spectacles and tickets to music concerts and football matches. 

Analysis of the House of Commons register of interests shows Rachael Reeves, the chancellor, accepted three tickets to a musical last year from the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), alongside other donations from wealthy gambling bosses to fund her private office, before the general election. 

Other Labour Party members like Jonathan Reynolds and Louise Haigh also accepted freebies, including tickets and hospitality for the Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday League One play-off final at Wembley in May 2022. 

The gifts have raised concerns that ministerial decision-making could be compromised. 

Previously Starmer received a £25,000 ($ 33,000) donation from Peter Coates, the head of the dynasty behind the Stoke-based online gambling company Bet365, in support of his leadership campaign in 2020.

In total, the Labour Party accepted £1.08 million ($ 1.3 bn) from those who made their money in the gambling sector.

Labour has also received tens of thousands of pounds from Richard Flint, the former chief executive of Sky Bet, and from Lord Mendelsohn, whose investment vehicle, Red Capital Limited, is linked to the gambling sector. The Labour peer also chairs Evoke, the company behind William Hill, Mr Green, and 888.

Starmer’s party came under pressure at its conference to make stricter regulations for the gambling sector, with the think tank Social Market Foundation calling for gambling duty to be doubled. But the Labour Party maintained a close relationship with bookmaking giants ever since Tony Blair’s government liberalised Britain’s gambling laws, allowing it to become the £14 billion ($ 18.6 bn) industry it is today. 

(With inputs from agencies)