http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd? ... category=0
THE GOVERNMENT is expected to make a sensational announcement on Thursday that will reveal plans for a replacement for the levy system which would capture all betting on horseracing whether in betting shops or online.
The move represents a major coup for the racing industry which has long lobbied for government to take action to plug the leak to racing's finances as betting has shifted from betting shops to online operators based offshore, costing the sport tens of millions of pounds.
Bob Blackman, the Conservative MP for Harrow East, has tabled a question for Thursday morning's Culture, Media and Sport session in the Commons asking what progress has been made "on replacing the current horserace betting levy".
It is understood that a ministerial response will be made either orally or in writing that the government will use secondary legislation to ensure all betting operators contribute to the sport and set out a timetable which could result in the new system being in place in April 2017.
The government would also set out its policy intent which would be to restore the return to racing from betting to where it was had there not been a shift to betting offshore.
More details could be forthcoming in the Budget on March 16.
Boosted funds
The levy had previously brought in around £100 million a year and racing would expect to benefit by more than £30 million per year.
In 2014 the previous government amended the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill which gave ministers reserve powers to make fundamental changes to racing's funding mechanism.
Using that rather than primary legislation means the process can be fast-tracked, although the change would still need approval from both houses of parliament and the European Union, the latter on state aid grounds.
However, racing is confident that the European Commission's decision in 2013 which found that plans in France to organise a levy on online betting on horseracing did not contravene state aid rules, sets a precedent that can be followed in Britain.
Asked for the governing body's reaction to the news, BHA media manager Robin Mounsey said: "We are aware that a parliamentary question has been lodged for discussion on Thursday morning regarding what progress has been made on replacing the current horserace betting levy. We await their response with interest."
ABP set to continue
In the meantime the sport would continue to pursue its controversial authorised betting partner policy until the government's changes were introduced in order to try to capture some of the money bet with remote operators.
Bookmakers, who are understood to have met with ministers to be informed of the plans this week, are still likely to examine a legal challenge based on European law.
Shock as new system to capture all bets on UK Racing
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/m ... -authority
Details of the government’s plans are expected to be unveiled in the House of Commons on Thursday morning, in response to a question tabled by Bob Blackman MP asking what progress has been made “on replacing the current horserace betting levy”.
Further details of the government’s new scheme may also form part of the Budget on 16 March, which is also the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Details of the government’s plans are expected to be unveiled in the House of Commons on Thursday morning, in response to a question tabled by Bob Blackman MP asking what progress has been made “on replacing the current horserace betting levy”.
Further details of the government’s new scheme may also form part of the Budget on 16 March, which is also the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.