The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced that no race meetings will take place in Britain on Wednesday, September 10th as the sport takes the extraordinary step of refusing to race in protest at the British government’s proposed tax rise on horserace betting. This will be the first time that British racing has voluntarily taken such an action in its modern history.

The announcement comes as British Racing’s ‘Axe the Racing Tax’ campaign gears up in advance of the Autumn Budget. The campaign is urging the British government to axe the Treasury’s proposal to bring existing online betting duties into one single rate which the BHA says would have devastating consequences for racing.

Four scheduled race meetings on September 10th - the day before the start of the four-day St Leger Festival at Doncaster - at Lingfield Park, Carlisle, Uttoxeter and Kempton Park will not take place that day and will be rescheduled. The only Irish meeting scheduled for that day is an evening fixture at Cork.

On the same day, British racing will host a major campaign event in Westminster where senior leaders will be joined by owners, trainers and jockeys to highlight the threat of the Treasury’s proposal on an industry which is worth £4.1 billion to the UK economy.

Economic analysis commissioned by the BHA has shown that aligning the current 15% tax rate paid by bookmakers on racing with that of online games of chance – currently taxed at 21% - by harmonising all remote gambling duties, could have a destructive impact on the sport with a £330 million revenue hit to the industry in the first five years, and putting 2,752 jobs at risk in the first year alone.

This is because betting operators are likely to seek to offset any tax rises through increasing prices, cutting bonuses, reducing advertising and marketing budgets.

Unprecedented

British racing’s decision not to race on September 10th is unprecedented. Race meetings in Britain take place on 363 days a year, with the exception of certain seasonal holidays. With the exception of meetings being called off due to adverse weather, equine virus outbreak and national crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, this will be the first time in history that the sport has taken a collective decision not to race in protest at a Government proposal.

Brant Dunshea, BHA chief executive, said: "We have decided to take the unprecedented decision to cancel our planned racing fixtures on September 10th to highlight to Government the serious consequences of the Treasury’s tax proposals which threaten the very future of our sport.

“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.

“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. “Our message to Government is clear: axe the racing tax and back British racing.”

Pause for reflection

Jim Mullen, CEO at The Jockey Club, said: "Our sport has come together today, and by cancelling racing fixtures, we hope the Government will take a moment to reflect on the harm this tax will cause to a sport in which our country leads in so many ways. We hope this pause for reflection will enable the Government to truly understand the economic impact of horseracing and its cultural significance to communities across the UK, as well as the world-class racing festivals we host.

“After this period of reflection, we hope the full implications will be understood, and we can prevent the irreparable damage that threatens a sport the nation is, and should be, proud of."

Martin Cruddace, CEO at Arena Racing Company, said: "This is such an important day for our sport which faces an existential threat from this Government with its plan to harmonise tax on British horserace betting with online slots and casino games.

"Unlike online casino games, British horseracing makes an enormous contribution to society and employment, has vastly different rates of gambling related harm and is not available every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day.

"We have always been taxed and regulated differently, and it is imperative for our future that we continue to be so.

"If the Government wants Britain to be a world leader in online casino and a world pauper in a sport at the heart of its culture, then tax harmonisation will achieve that aim."

Paul Johnson, Chief Executive of the National Trainers Federation, said: “Cancelling fixtures is a huge sacrifice by racing and should serve as a stark reminder to the Government of the impact its tax raid will have on our sport. Thousands of jobs are at stake alongside the loss of millions of pounds to the British economy.

“And it’s not just the sport that will suffer. Almost five million people go racing every year and across Britain communities will be robbed of a vital social, cultural and economic asset if the Treasury and No10 proceed with this tax grab.

“British racing cannot survive on reputation alone and we call on the Government to set an enlightened tax regime that will allow the sport to thrive before we reach the point of no return.”