For the first time in decades, British horse racing has voluntarily cancelled a full day of meetings, with fixtures at Lingfield, Carlisle, Uttoxeter and Kempton called off on Wednesday. The unprecedented strike is a protest against government proposals to harmonise betting and gaming tax, which racing leaders say poses an existential threat to the sport.
Martin Cruddace, chief executive of Arena Racing Company, described the proposal as an 'existential threat' to Britain's second-biggest spectator sport. The current betting duty is 15% of gross profits, while gaming products are taxed at 21%. Harmonisation could raise betting duty to 25%, a move racing argues would devastate its finances.
The strike, along with an event near Parliament, aims to send a message to Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of her budget on 26 November. Racing officials stress that betting on sports involves skill and investment, unlike fixed-margin casino games, and that a lower duty rate is essential to maintain the sport's income from betting revenue.
Without the current tax distinction, racing fears a slow decline as operators lose incentive to offer betting services. The National Trainers' Federation has suggested a smaller rise in betting duty paired with a larger increase in gaming duty could be a positive outcome, but the industry remains united in opposition to harmonisation.
