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Doubling of betting tax no panacea so HRI needs to spend extra funding wisely

Sharon Byrne, chair of Irish Bookmakers Association: “This week provides a way for staff to approach customers on the subject of responsible gambling with more confidence'
Sharon Byrne, chairperson of the Irish Bookmakers Association, has expressed fears for the viability of the 200 independent betting shops left in IrelandCredit: Iba

Horse Racing Ireland has long fought for a doubling of the existing one per cent rate of betting tax but it would be naive to think that its triumph in that quest will prove a panacea of any sort.

The government’s decision to raise the rate levied on turnover to two per cent from January 1 was on Tuesday presented by the finance minister Pascal Donohoe as a simple method of turning the €52.2 million generated in revenue in 2017 into €104m when it kicks in for a full year in 2020.

The chances are it won’t be quite such a straightforward fait accompli.

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Ireland editor

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