Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the broadening of the tax base to include remote and online betting. The latter sectors had to contribute to the greyhound and horse racing industries. Do we have any idea of how much betting remains outside the tax net? The number of track bookmakers has dwindled greatly and they are under much financial pressure. We have a tax regime in place that, in effect, takes a one-size-fits-all approach. On-track bookmakers are often small independent operators who do not have a large turnover and they are being taxed at the same rate as the major multinational companies such as Ladbrokes, Boylesports and others. We must recognise the unique nature of track bookmaking and what they bring to horse and greyhound race meetings and also the costs they incur attending race meetings.

Deputy Michael McGrath devised an amendment, which has been tabled to the Finance Bill in the Seanad, to address what track bookmakers consider are anomalies given that they are treated the same as major multinational betting companies. There must be some recognition of their unique contribution to the industry and their small turnover. People do online betting now and on-course turnover has dropped significantly. There must be some recognition of the difficulties that track bookmakers face. They are different to multinational companies that are dealing in millions of euro. Broadening the tax base was definitely the way forward but there must be some recognition of the situation. The current approach to the taxation of the industry will not work if we wish to preserve track bookmakers.