Overview
- Ministers are considering a Remote Betting and Gaming Duty that would replace the 15% levy on online racing bets with a casino-aligned 21% rate.
- The Horserace Betting Levy Board, which collects just over £100 million a year, has paused support for ITV’s Champions: Full Gallop and is reviewing 2026 grants due to tax uncertainty.
- HM Treasury says any increase would apply only to remote gambling and confirms the 100% tax break for on-course betting is not slated to change.
- Betfred warns it could shut 1,272 high-street shops, putting 7,500 jobs at risk if taxation on betting rises.
- Industry figures say racing contributes about £4–4.1 billion to the economy and supports 85,000 jobs, and modelling cited by stakeholders suggests each one-point tax rise could cut racing funding by roughly £10 million a year.