Having read Greg Wood’s excellent article of the 23rd September (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2024/sep/23/labour-conference-fringe-event-may-be-turning-point-horse-racing-fortunes) in the Guardian, the HBF agree in principle with the majority of his comments, and applauds any move by government or the Gambling Commission to differentiate horse racing and other skills based gambling from the more harmful games of luck, such as slot machines and casinos.
However, we are very aware that many gambling firms see horse-racing as a more expensive alternative, and we are concerned that any increased taxation on games that require zero skill will be passed on to the horse racing industry and then the bettors we represent.
Examples could include attempted reductions in the media rights money currently paid to the sport, a cessation or reduction in much needed race sponsorship, the continued removal or reduction of any bonuses or offers and more restricted and closed accounts, which we are already seeing since affordability checks and their associated costs.
The HBF, on behalf of racing bettors everywhere, implore the government and the Gambling Commission to find a way to “ringfence” horse racing from being held “hostage” by the gambling industry in any way or form, and to prevent the customers who bet on horse racing being sacrificed on the altar of protecting the on-line casinos and slots machines.
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