Increased Effort by BHA in Resisting Betting Tax Increase, Citing Possible Industry Demise
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is leading a united front against the UK Government's proposed increase and harmonisation of remote gambling duty, which could raise the tax on online horse race betting from the current 15% to a possible 21% or higher, aligning it with the higher rates applied to online casino games.
On July 17, 2025, the BHA submitted a formal response to HM Treasury’s consultation, backed by major industry groups including the Jockey Club, Racecourse Association, Racehorse Owners Association, and others. The coalition urges for horse racing to be taxed separately from other gambling forms to protect the sport’s funding and economic viability.
Launched in late July 2025, the public campaign #AxeTheRacingTax aims to raise awareness and rally fans and the public against the tax rise. The campaign emphasizes potential catastrophic impacts, including estimates of a £330 million revenue loss over five years and more than 2,700 jobs at risk in the first year alone.
Independent research commissioned by the BHA projects an immediate annual loss of around £66 million to the industry. The increased tax burden threatens racecourses, training facilities, rural communities, and the entire horseracing ecosystem—potentially triggering job losses across the supply chain and damaging equine welfare.
Key racing hubs such as Yorkshire and Gloucestershire are at risk of substantial losses. Yorkshire could potentially lose £37 million ($49.4 million) and over 300 jobs in a single year.
The Treasury’s public consultation deadline was July 21, 2025. Officials are reviewing responses and are expected to advise ministers before an anticipated decision in the Autumn Budget (October 2025). Treasury Minister James Murray MP has indicated willingness to work with the horseracing industry to mitigate unintended effects, but final outcomes remain uncertain.
Acting CEO Brant Dunshea has characterised the proposal as “one of the gravest risks to horseracing the sport has ever seen,” stressing that it jeopardizes jobs, rural communities, and the country’s second-largest spectator sport. Horseracing is one of the UK's biggest sports, attracting more than five million fans each year and contributing over £4 billion ($5.34 billion) to the economy annually.
The economic study suggests that the proposed tax hike could threaten as many as 3,000 jobs across the horse racing industry. The BHA argues that this move misunderstands the differences between sports betting and games of chance, and ignores the complex ecosystem that sustains the horse racing industry.
The racing sector, including the BHA, is preparing to take further action to protect one of the nation's oldest and most beloved sports. The BHA CEO, Brant Dunshea, has stated that the latest research provides a much more catastrophic forecast than initially thought. The message from the racing sector is clear: raise the tax, and risk watching the sport wither.
- The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is leading a unified opposition against the UK Government's proposed increase and harmonisation of remote gambling duty, which could hike the tax on online horse race betting to a potential 21% or more, aligning it with the higher rates applied to online casino games.
- On July 17, 2025, the BHA submitted a formal response to HM Treasury’s consultation, backed by major industry groups like the Jockey Club, Racecourse Association, Racehorse Owners Association, and others.
- The coalition urges for horse racing to be taxed separately from other gambling forms to safeguard the sport’s funding and economic viability.
- Launched in late July 2025, the public campaign #AxeTheRacingTax seeks to draw attention and rally fans and the public against the tax rise, highlighting potential disastrous impacts, such as a £330 million revenue loss over five years and more than 2,700 jobs at risk in the first year alone.
- Independent research commissioned by the BHA predicts an immediate annual loss of around £66 million to the industry, and the increased tax burden threatens racecourses, training facilities, rural communities, and the entire horseracing ecosystem—potentially causing job losses across the supply chain and damaging equine welfare.
- Key racing hubs such as Yorkshire and Gloucestershire are at risk of substantial losses. Yorkshire could potentially lose £37 million ($49.4 million) and over 300 jobs in a single year.
- The Treasury’s public consultation deadline was July 21, 2025. Officials are reviewing responses and are expected to advise ministers before a predicted decision in the Autumn Budget (October 2025). The BHA, along with the racing sector, is preparing to take further action to protect one of the nation's oldest and most cherished sports, as the latest research provides a more catastrophic forecast than initially thought.
