The gambling watchdog’s investigation into the Conservative Party betting ring has been widened to look into hundreds of suspicious bets, The Times has learnt.
A dossier containing details of all bets that stood to win more than £199 has been passed to the Gambling Commission by betting companies. Investigators are sifting through a spreadsheet of hundreds of names to identify gamblers who were employed by the Conservative party — or had ties to someone who was.
It marks an escalation in the scandal, which has overshadowed the Tory election campaign and attracted unfavourable comparisons with the Downing Street parties.
Betting companies became suspicious when there was a spike in activity shortly before Rishi Sunak made the surprise announcement of an early election.
Entain, the