Bath’s MP, Wera Hobhouse, has voiced strong concerns over proposed UK government gambling tax reforms that could threaten the future of British horseracing. During a visit to Bath Racecourse, she was briefed by Executive Director Hannah Chree about plans to merge three betting duties into a single Remote Betting and Gaming Duty. Chree warned this could cost the racing industry up to £66 million and nearly 1,000 jobs, as it would tax horseracing bets at the same rate as online slot machines, potentially pushing bookmakers to favor cheaper, more harmful gambling products. The reforms risk undermining the Horserace Betting Levy, which funds prize money, jobs, veterinary research, and equine welfare, and could exacerbate declining turnover in online betting on racing, which has dropped by £1.6 billion in two years.

Hobhouse, who raised the issue in Parliament, criticized the government’s approach as a blunt tax rise that could “pull the rug out” from under the industry, advocating instead for doubling the remote gaming duty rate to better address gambling harms without damaging horseracing. She has called for a full parliamentary debate and sought clarity from the Treasury on consultations with the racing sector. Bath Racecourse, a significant local employer with 200 staff and a contributor to the UK economy, exemplifies the broader national importance of horseracing, which supports 85,000 jobs and generates £4.1 billion annually. Both Hobhouse and Chree emphasize the cultural and economic value of horseracing and the need to protect it from reforms that could cause lasting harm.