RACECOURSE Media Group (RMG) says it is “confident of finding a solution” to fears of a Racing TV blackout in Ireland, as the channel’s officials and Irish racing administrators work towards understanding exactly how and when the Gambling Regulation Bill will be fully implemented.

It was at this stage last year that the Bill was officially signed into law - a piece of legislation that prohibits gambling advertising from being shown on television during daylight hours. That move, RMG indicated at the time, would make it economically unviable for the channel to continue to be offered to Irish viewers.

This is due to financial reasons. Racing TV, which reportedly has approximately 65,000 residential and commercial subscribers - the vast majority in Britain where there are no restrictions on broadcasting betting adverts - has previously insisted that it would not be economically viable for it to create a separate Irish stream with no betting adverts.

Leading trainers and prominent stakeholders have expressed concerns over losing owners from the sport if they were unable to watch racing in Ireland, though The Irish Field understands that the ban is not expected to come into force until 2027 at the earliest.

In May of last year, The Irish Field reported that the channel had agreed a deal with its betting partners on how to manage the consequences of the Gambling Regulation Bill, said to have given reassurances to their betting partners that the channels will not be taken off the air in Ireland - even if the ban on explicit gambling advertising is introduced. Representatives for Racing TV denied that any deal had been struck.

Collaborative work

When contacted this week for a status update on the channel’s future broadcasting in Ireland, with Gambling Bill implications in mind, there were indications that the relevant bodies are working on a solution.

A spokesperson for RMG told The Irish Field: “Racing TV is very aware of the importance of broadcasting Irish racing in Ireland. We are confident of finding a solution by working closely with Horse Racing Ireland and the Association of Irish Racecourses.

“We are also engaging meaningfully with the Gambling Regulation Authority on the details of the broadcasting and digital frameworks, which are being developed.”

Last year, Sky Sports Racing stated its intention to launch a dedicated Irish feed, which would comply with the Bill by not showing any betting advertisements during daylight hours. This channel reportedly does not use the same technology as Racing TV, hence where the difficulty arises for Irish racing’s broadcaster.

Viewers already must be 18 or older in order to subscribe to Racing TV, which is set to continue broadcasting Irish racing until at least 2029, as per Ireland’s latest media rights agreement.