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Dave,
It`s a fair comment in both cases although nothing in the legislation as changed, the biggest problem is the product they produce is uncompetitive, the German tax system to the Totes is rather complicated as theirs a rebate system,all the same the top line is 16.67% betting tax and a margin needs to be built on top,the Bookmakers on the other hand supposedly act as agents and send all bets “ausland“ to countries like Malta,the tax then becomes negligable!!
The Germans have never heard of the word “lobby“, most are frightened of their own shadows,the situation is pathetic!!
Belgium on the other hand is overtaxed, it always was, nothing has changed in that respect,the racing industry is so small its not worth consideration, the racing shown in Betting shops is supplied by the French PMU and SIS………..add 15% betting tax to the situation and you will see theirs not much hope!!…For some reason Ladbrokes like Belgium
With regards to both countries the majority of trainers are permit holders,hobbyists if such a word exists, the larger trainers in Germany send their chargers to France and Italy for the inflated prizemoney,its the only way they keep their head above water,the rule if you live or train around France is buy French bred, the bonuses are amazing, someone said prizemoney at a meeting yesterday was 270K, well nearer 400K if you take into account the bonuses!!
I think the French will argue for the PMU on social grounds, that it is a major employer in poor rural areas.
The German racing scene, could be a vision of the future for us the way things are going.
A Tote/Exchange duopoly would be my preferred vision of the future.
Racing freed of the vampiritic off-course bookmakers, who will be able to complete their mutation into amusement arcades unhindered by a ‘product’ they’ve long enjoyed an acquiescent manipulation of, but ultimately care little for.
The good-men-and-true on course can sit at home and lay a book on Betfair, as I daresay many do now.
I think the French will argue for the PMU on social grounds, that it is a major employer in poor rural areas.
The German racing scene, could be a vision of the future for us the way things are going.
Well the PMU is heavily marketed so out of the window with Social grounds im afraid,people in France can bet any amount into the pool they wish,theirs no restrictions or control measures in place such as customer cards,in end effect the French have little argument or defence when it comes to the monopoly,however,on the other hand the PMU is a very good product, a strong Tote with a reasonable take out , maybe they need to protect data rights !
Sportsbetting rights are what the Bookies are chasing,lets face it, the UK Bookies would happily drop UK racing in favour of Bags or the plastic stuff if possible!!
The public always have a choice .. take it or leave it .. Adam Smith style.
This legislation has already gone through Germany and Belgium I believe, I don’t know if there has been an adverse effect or not, less horses or problems funding the sport?
There’s been a big slump in racing in both countries over the last ten years.
Total number of races run:
Germany 1996…2975(Flat) 135(Jump) 9825(Trot)
Germany 2006…1720(F) 60(J) 5734(T)Belgium 1996 …498(F) 11(J) 1650(T).
Belgium 2006 …173(F) 4(J) 1153(T)I wonder what happened to all of the horses?
I reckon if the British Tote had a 12% take-out on the win market, Betfair would be worried.
The number of thoroughbreds bred in Belgium has declined from 158 in 1996 to 43 in 2006.
In Germany, the decline has been less severe, no doubt due to the rocketing reputation of their bloodstock, births in 1996 numbering 1422, in 2006, 1159.
“in fact, most of the modern day Bookmakers dirived from illegal operations,that brings me to the next question:-
Was their some type of amnesty?
or are we simply 40 years ahead of Russia……ie Mafia are now known as Businessmen (or Women)!!
Maybe it depends how much our bookies spend on office supplies. Woody Allen reckoned, "Organised crime in America takes in over 40 billion dollars and spends very little on office supplies."
Mind you, our bookies’ barber-shop inventory could have been astronomical from what I’ve heard.
Personally I find this constant carping about bookies by the racing media etc rather tiresome.
If I have a bet its my choice. If the jockey gets the tacttics wrong its my fault. If the trainer has not primed the horse for the race its my fault.
Where do bookies come in to it?
More so than ever, with exchanges providing total transparency, it is absurd to continue criticising bookies.
I am a punter, and grew up on McCririckisms about the old enemey etc.
Without bookmakers there would be no racing. It is not bookies who are crooked!
MacCirick is just doing pantomime audience wind-ups.
Bookies are no longer simply bookies, as such, these days, are they? Rather, normal parts of our corporatist culture. No more vicious than most other companies, and probably a good deal more innocuous than insurance companies, banks, etc.
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