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William Hill, the largest bookmaker in the United Kingdom, announced on Monday (August 6, 2012) it was appealing a case in the Court of Appeal that exempts customers of betting exchanges from being liable for paying a horse racing levy.
Hill has specifically cited rival betting exchange Betfair in regard to the exemption.
Ralph Topping, chief executive of William Hill, said of the July 20 ruling: “We think it is important for bookmakers, the levy board and horseracing that we take this to the Court of Appeal. Independently from all the arguments put before him, the judge drew his own conclusions as to the meaning of the act in question, and we were never given an opportunity to address that thinking. We don’t think it is right. The only simple interpretation of his judgment – i.e. that no users of exchanges pay levy, ever – seems to go against what Parliament has said previously about both levy, taxation and licensing, and could if unchallenged totally undermine any value in the levy. We are certain this is fundamental to the future of the levy board, and hence important to British Horse Racing and bookmakers, and once again, we believe it requires clarification.’’
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com Business
