COST OF BETTING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18596, 5 January 1935, Page 4

COST OF BETTING

£IOI,OOO TAX BILL

HOLIDAY SPORTSMEN PAY

1 Discussing an old topic on which Government has been approached on iiinumerable occasions, a northern change points out that the cost of betting on horse-racing, whether through the medium of trots or gallops, has Become so excessive that the general public can no longer ignore the extraordinary deductions made from each betting unit which passes through the totalisator. Exemplifying the claim that taxation is Killing tne sport, the article states:— "Just about this time of the year there comes to many the realisation that horse racing is a costly form of amusement in which the totalisator wins all the time, and the public (regarded as a whole; does the paying. The totalisator is in the secure position that it can open without money (except that it is necessary to have change) and never risk a loss.

"During the seven days' racing and trotting during the holidays in Auckland the amount put through the totalisators was £262,455. From each pound invested the amount deducted in taxation by the Government and racing or trotting clubs was approximately 3s 6d. This does not include "fractions," which often amount to a tidy sum. Thus the public paid for the privilege of betting on the courses at Ellerslie and Alexandra Park during the seven days no less a sum than £45,929. "To go further, there were numerous racing and trotting meetings held throughout the Dominion during the, holidays, and the total invested on the totalisators was £580,423. At 3s 6d in the £ the amount charged the public was £101,574. When the fares to the course,' admission charges, and refreshment expenses are added it will be readily appreciated that the 'Sport of Kings' is mainly the sport of the Government."