Fighting the Levy

The controversy around the UK horseracing levy intensified this week as major online bookmaking group William Hill plc went on the attack, launching its “Real Jobs – Real People” campaign, which aims to put fact-based arguments about the Horserace Levy into the public domain.
The levy – paid by bookie organisations to subsidise the British horseracing industry, remains a source of often bitter dispute between the parties, especially regarding the size of contributions, on which the warring parties have not been able to reach a compromise .
In launching the campaign, William Hill’s chief executive, Ralph Topping said;
“William Hill is a strong supporter of racing, as evidenced by our sponsorship of major events such as the William Hill King George, but not at a cost to jobs and the sustainability of high street betting shops.
“When racing’s leadership continues to peddle inaccurate and un-evidenced stories of a financial “crisis” within racing or that bookmakers are not making a “fair” return, then these statements need to be firmly challenged. Those outside the industry also need to understand the economics of an industry which is a major employer.
“The Levy needs to be replaced by a proper commercial relationship between racing and bookmakers”

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