Irish bookmakers launch nationwide campaign against doubling of betting tax

Irish bookmakers have launched a national campaign to fight against the doubling of betting tax announced recently in the government’s budget for 2019 that bookmakers claim will seriously damage the industry.

The Save Our Jobs campaign, which is being co-ordinated by the Irish Bookmakers Association, is aimed at alerting legislators to what the IBA claims will be the “dire consequences” of the rise in tax to two per cent from January 1.

Bookmakers estimate job losses will amount to 2,400 in towns and cities across Ireland and the permanent closure of an estimated 400 of the 850 bookmaking shops operating in the country.