Big drop in on course betting with bookmakers

Horse Racing Ireland CEO Brian Kavanagh is hoping damaging figures released yesterday will be offset by new taxation of betting.

The half-year returns, which account for the racing and breeding industries in Ireland, show a continuing decline in the amount of money being bet at racetracks. Over the first six months of last year €49.5m was bet with on-course bookmakers while that figure dropped to € 39.7m in 2012.

However Kavanagh believes while that figure has fallen drastically year on year over the past five and prizemoney, Tote betting, on-course Tote betting, horses in training and attendances are also down on last year, there is reason to be hopeful.