Why is British horse racing going on strike?

BBC News

2 hours ago

British horse racing will stage a one-day strike in protest against the government's proposed tax rise on betting on the sport.No fixtures will take place on 10 September after four meetings were rescheduled by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), which says a tax hike would hit revenue and jobs.It is an unprecedented move but what does it mean, what will happen on the day and how have we got here?
What fixtures have been rescheduled?
The following meetings have been switched to leave a blank day on Wednesday 10 September.Lingfield Park (afternoon) - 8 September (afternoon)Carlisle (afternoon) - 9 September (evening)Uttoxeter (afternoon) - 11 September (evening)Kempton Park (evening) - 15 September (evening)
What will happen on 10 September?
There will be no racing in Britain, with leading jockeys, trainers and owners instead attending an event at Westminster where they will lobby MPs.It is the eve of the four-day St Leger meeting at Doncaster, which Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer attended last year, and is the first time the sport has voluntarily refused to race in its modern history.Racing will be held in the Republic of Ireland, where the sole fixture takes place at Cork.
What are the government proposals?
The Treasury is looking to bring existing online betting duties into one single rate.This could increase the 15% tax rate paid by bookmakers on racing and align it with online gaming, such as casino and slot games, which is currently taxed at 21%.A Treasury spokesperson said: "We are consulting on bringing the treatment of online betting in line with other forms of online gambling to cut down bureaucracy."It is not about increasing or decreasing rates, and we welcome views from all stakeholders including businesses, trade bodies, the third sector and individuals."
How would tax rises hit horse racing?
Horse racing is the second-biggest spectator sport in Britain, behind football, with more than 1,400 fixtures a year.Racing's leaders fear increased costs for betting operators would lead to less promotion and sponsorship of the sport, worse odds and reduced bonuses for customers – making betting on racing less attractive, and potentially turning people towards the black market.Betting turnover has already been hit by affordability checks for punters aimed at limiting problem gambling.Reduced turnover has a knock-on effect as major bookmakers must give 10% of racing profits via a levy, which raises more than £100m a year, and is used toward race prize money and helping the sport in other ways.Activists and some MPs believe increased taxes could help fund welfare spending and tackle harmful gambling.Economic analysis commissioned by the BHA has shown that aligning the current tax rate paid by bookmakers on racing with online games of chance could see a £330m revenue hit to the industry in the first five years.It suggests 2,752 jobs will be put at risk in the first year alone.
What has the reaction been to the strike?
Leading jumps trainer Nicky Henderson is among those to back the action."I am not necessarily a person who is in favour of using strikes as a tool, but the message has got to get across that this tax could be crippling," he said."It is not a weapon I would ordinarily suggest we turn to, but under the circumstances I would say we probably have little choice."But the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), which represents betting shops, online betting and gaming operators and casinos, says it was not consulted."Racing's decision to reschedule fixtures was taken without consultation with betting operators, whose support for the funding of the sport is mission critical," it said in a statement."We are concerned that futile political gestures will only antagonise the government and frustrate punters instead of delivering a solution to a shared challenge facing both racing and betting."
Will the strike action cost the sport?
The impact will be offset by the fixtures being rearranged, but there will be an estimated cost of around £200,000 in lost revenue on the day.BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's certainly not a decision we have taken lightly."The industry is united in saying that cost is a small price to pay for ensuring we send a clear and loud message to government."The sport believes racing betting, which sees punters study form and use their knowledge to place bets, should be treated differently to online games of chance which offer fixed-profit margins for operators."Racing is more than just a sport, it's a cherished part of our culture and we are a major employer. We are different to online casinos," said Dunshea.
Is this a one-off strike?
No more strikes are planned as things stand.The action is designed to publicise the BHA's 'Axe the Racing Tax' campaign. Its petition against the tax proposals had around 10,000 signatures when the strike was announced on 16 August.This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
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