The government in France is looking to impose an extra tax on online horse racing – a move which has been criticised by the Remote Gambling Association and the European Gaming and Betting Association.
The European Commission has approved the proposal to impose an additional tax of eight per cent on all online horse-race betting. The French authority said the additional revenues will go to finance a service to improve and promote the horse-breeding industry in France.
The Commission began investigating the proposal back in 2010 and has now decided that the French proposition is compatible with its own regulations. The Commission’s position on the issue was that by sharing the financial responsibility among the operators, the measure would allow for fair competition in the online horse-race wagering market.
Representing the gambling entities that operate legally in France, the RGA and the EGBA are adamant about their objections to the new tax. The organisations released a joint press release highlighting their "concern" about the Commission’s approval of the French plan.
The groups noted that levies or parts of levies can only be justified if they truly serve common-interest objectives. They claim that transferring funds from one industry to another will distort the playing field for gambling sectors and union members.
