British horse racing will go on strike on 10 September, taking the unprecedented action of refusing to race in protest against the Government’s proposed tax rise on betting on the sport.
As part of its industry-wide Axe The Racing Tax campaign, four fixtures scheduled for that day at Lingfield Park, Carlisle, Uttoxeter and Kempton Park have been rearranged by the British Horseracing Authority.
It is the first time the sport has voluntarily refused to race in its modern history.
The governing body is campaigning against the Treasury’s proposal to introduce a single remote gambling tax, which would increase the 15% tax rate paid by bookmakers on racing and aligning it with online gaming, which is currently taxed at 21%.
The BHA says this would have a “destructive impact” on the industry with its economic analysis predicting an estimated £330m loss in revenue and putting 2,752 jobs at risk in the first year alone.
A spokesperson for the Treasury told BBC Sport: “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.”
Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget in October is expected to bring tax rises.
Brant Dunshea, chief executive at the British Horseracing Authority, said the proposals “threaten the very future” of the sport.
Race meetings in Britain take place 363 days a year, unless called off for adverse weather, equine virus outbreaks and national crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
The strike takes place the day before the start of the four-day St Leger festival at Doncaster Racecourse.
“British Racing is already in a precarious financial position and research has shown that a tax rise on racing could be catastrophic for the sport and the thousands of jobs that rely on it in towns and communities across the country,” added Dunshea.
“This is the first time that British Racing has chosen not to race due to Government proposals. We haven’t taken this decision lightly but in doing so we are urging the Government to rethink this tax proposal to protect the future of our sport which is a cherished part of Britain’s heritage and culture.”
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