British horse racing stages one-day strike over proposed betting tax rise

British horse racing will stage a one-day strike on Wednesday, with no fixtures scheduled in Britain, as jockeys, trainers and owners gather at Westminster to lobby MPs against a proposed change to how online betting is taxed. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) says the Treasury's consultation to align betting duties could cost the sport millions in revenue and put thousands of jobs at risk.

Four scheduled meetings were rescheduled to create a blank day on Wednesday: Lingfield Park (afternoon) moved to Sept. 8, Carlisle (afternoon) moved to Sept. 9 evening, Uttoxeter (afternoon) moved to Sept. 11 evening and Kempton Park (evening) moved to Sept. 15 evening. The action comes on the eve of the four-day St Leger meeting at Doncaster and is the first time the sport has voluntarily refused to race in its modern history; blank racing days in Britain typically occur only at Christmas.

The Treasury is consulting on bringing existing online betting duties into a single rate, a move that could increase the 15% tax rate currently paid by bookmakers on racing and align it with the 21% rate applied to online gaming such as casino and slot games. A Treasury spokesperson said the review aims to "cut down bureaucracy" and that it "is not about increasing or decreasing rates," adding that views from businesses, trade bodies and others are being welcomed.

Racing officials warn that a higher tax on betting turnover for racing would reduce bookmakers' promotion and sponsorship of the sport, worsen odds and diminish customer bonuses, potentially making racing betting less attractive. That, in turn, would reduce turnover and the funds available to the sport through the industry funding mechanisms. Major bookmakers contribute 10% of their racing profits via a levy that raises more than £100 million a year; those funds are used for prize money and other support for racing.

Economic analysis commissioned by the BHA estimates that aligning the current racing betting duty with the rates for online games of chance could result in a £330 million reduction in revenue to the industry over the first five years and put 2,752 jobs at risk in the first year. BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea said higher taxes could push bettors toward illegal, unregulated markets that do not provide consumer protections or contribute to the sport.

Jockey Tom Marquand, whose wife Hollie Doyle is also a leading rider, warned that reduced funding for racing could force some professionals to consider relocating abroad. "It seems pretty sad we might have to think about emigrating somewhere else to make a living out of the sport that we so enjoy," he said, noting that racing employs about 85,000 people.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), representing betting shops, online operators and casinos, criticised the decision to reschedule fixtures, saying racing's action was taken "without consultation with betting operators, whose support for the funding of the sport is mission critical." The BGC warned that the move could antagonise the government and frustrate punters rather than producing a shared solution.

Industry figures and racegoers expressed support for the action at some meetings. When BBC Sport reporters filmed at Windsor earlier in the week, several punters said they backed measures that would protect livelihoods and the promotion of the sport.

The BHA said the immediate financial impact of the single blank day will be partly mitigated by rescheduling fixtures, but estimated an around £200,000 loss in revenue for the day. The strike is part of the BHA's "Axe the Racing Tax" campaign; a petition against the proposals had gathered roughly 12,000 signatures ahead of the Westminster event.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to set out tax measures in a budget scheduled for Nov. 26, and activists as well as some MPs have argued that higher taxes on betting could raise revenue for welfare spending and measures to tackle harmful gambling. The BHA says it sought to highlight the distinctive nature of racing as a sport with skill elements and community ties.

Racing in the Republic of Ireland will continue unaffected on Wednesday, with Cork the only fixture scheduled in the jurisdiction. The BHA said no additional strike days are planned as things stand, but it described the Wednesday action as part of a wider campaign to persuade policymakers to treat racing differently under any changes to online betting taxation.