Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Minister for Finance the revenue that would be raised by applying a 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% tax to online bets and 20% gross profit tax for remote betting intermediaries. [39638/13]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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It was announced in Budget 2011 that the necessary arrangements are being made to ensure that bets placed on the internet by domestic punters are subject to the same level of betting duty as applies to high street betting shops. This will serve to broaden the tax base and increase betting duty receipts. The Finance Act 2011 provides for the taxation of bets that remote bookmakers enter into with persons in the State. This means, for example, that a business which engages in online bookmaking and which accepts bets from people in this country will be liable for betting duty on those bets, irrespective of where that business is based. The existing betting duty (1%) will be applied to such bets. The Finance Act also provides for the taxation of Betting Exchanges under the new arrangements; however the calculation of the tax will take account of their particular business model, in other words a 15% tax on the commission charged. In addition, excise duties are being applied to the granting and renewal of remote bookmakers’ and remote betting intermediaries’ licences.

The Betting (Amendment) Bill, which was published in July, will establish the regulatory framework for these licences. The tax changes provided for in the Finance Act can only be implemented once the Betting (Amendment) Bill is enacted.

It is estimated that the full year yield from the taxation of remote betting would be around €20 million. Therefore a straight line calculation of the 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% suggested by the Deputy would suggest a yield of €40 million, €60 million, €80 million and €100 million. However this would not take account of the impact of such a rate on betting activity or any other variables.