The Gambling Commission’s investigation into bets on the date of the general election has received “large amounts of material” from the Conservative Campaign Headquarters, according to reports.
A number of people including Conservative candidates, officials and police officers are being investigated for alleged bets on the timing of the election, which was unexpectedly called by Rishi Sunak at the end of May.
Under the 2005 Gambling Act it is a criminal offence to cheat at gambling or help another person to cheat. The maximum penalty is up to two years in prison.
The prime minister’s parliamentary private secretary Craig Williams was the first person publicly caught up in the scandal.
Mr Williams – who lost his Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr constituency – placed a £100 bet on there being a July election just three days before Mr Sunak named 4th July as the date, according to the Guardian.
The paper reported the bet could have led to a payout of £500.
Mr Williams said in a statement on X on 12 June: “I’ve been contacted by a journalist about Gambling Commission inquiries into one of my accounts and thought it best to be totally transparent.
“I put a flutter on the general election some weeks ago. This has resulted in some routine inquiries and I confirm I will fully cooperate with these.
“I don’t want to be a distraction from the campaign, I should have thought through how it looked.”
A week later, it was revealed that the Gambling Commission is also looking into Laura Saunders – the Conservative candidate in Bristol North West – and her husband, Tony Lee, who the party confirmed is now on “leave of absence” from his job as the party’s director of campaigning, according to the Guardian.
Others involved in the scandal are the party’s chief data officer, Nick Mason, and Welsh Conservative Russell George.
It is believed that up to 15 Conservative candidates and officials are being scrutinised for alleged betting on the timing of the general election, according to BBC reports.
A number of Met Police officers are also being investigated by the force.