ROW OVER RACING LEVY SET TO CONTINUE

Tuesday August 7,2012 :  BETTING EXCHANGE ROW OVER RACING LEVY SET TO CONTINUE (Update)
 
William Hill plc lodges appeal against judgement that customers of betting exchanges need not pay horserace levy
 
The dispute over whether betting exchange punters should make a contribution to the UK Horserace Betting Levy is far from over despite the findings of a judicial review which concluded on July 20 that it was not necessary for betting exchange players to pay towards the levy.
 
British bookie firm William Hill plc announced Monday that it has lodged an appeal against the review's finding, claiming that it left "confusion on the correct interpretation of who ought rightly to be considered a bookmaker."
 
The bookmaker has served notice that it intends to argue that the distinction between different types of sportsbetting entities was not properly argued and therefore remains unclear, making it necessary to appeal the case.
 
Chief executive Ralph Topping commented: “We think it is important for bookmakers, the Horserace Betting Levy Board and horseracing that we take this to the Court of Appeal.”
 
“Independently from all the arguments put before him, the judge drew his own conclusions as to the meaning of the act in question and we were never given an opportunity to address that thinking.
 
“We don’t think it is right. The only simple interpretation of his judgement: i.e. that no users of exchanges pay levy, ever, seems to go against what Parliament has said previously about both levy, taxation and licensing and could, if unchallenged, totally undermine any value in the Horserace Betting Levy.
 
“We are certain this is fundamental to the future of the Horserace Betting Levy Board and, hence, important to British horseracing and bookmakers and, once again, we believe it requires clarification.”