William Hill Goes to War With Betfair Over Horse Racing Levy

William Hill, England’s biggest bookmaker, wants to force Betfair customers into contributing to a horse racing levy.  Betfair prides itself on being the largest betting exchange.  Because there is no middleman (a bookmaker) as part of the betting exchange business model, customers of Betfair have thus far been exempt from paying money towards horse racing. 

William Hill will plead its case in court over the coming week. 

Stephen Morana, Betfair’s interim chief executive, told the Telegraph he is confident that the ruling by the Horserace Betting Levy Board last year would be upheld.

Readers of the Telegraph offered these comments regarding the William Hill – Betfair horse racing levy controversy:

Dailyhammer wrote: 

Betfair is a trading platform not a bookmakers so they are quite right to take the stand they have.

Should they contribute to the Olympics as well?

Its just an attack from cretins trying to use a legal stance to damage their highly successful business model.

It was Betfair that ensured the winners actually received their winnings unlike some unscrupulous bookmakers.

CalvinKlugscheisser had this to offer: 

Is it 1st April? William Hill, which pays NO Levy at all on any bets placed by phone or on their website (because those businesses are in Gibraltar) is trying to get double Levy out of Betfair (the bookie AND its customers)?

What a bunch of scumbags. It's about time the government stepped in and forced William Hill to pay their fair share.

- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com