Brussels, 07/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - The horse-racing industries of 12 European countries (Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, France, Italy, Ireland, Norway, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) are calling on the EU to draw up rules for their industry. At an information day at the European Parliament on Thursday 6 March 2008, jockeys, horse-racing authorities and horse breeders, trainers and owners signed a joint statement calling for a legal framework and clear and coherent European rules to ensure a fair return from bets on horse-racing that supports the industry, and protecting the integrity of horse races and betting.
The horse-racing industry is concerned about the security of finance for their industry. Not wanting to stem technological change, they fear that the mushrooming of online betting will disrupt their traditional national set-up and aware therefore calling for 'fair returns' to be incorporated in EU law, whereby betting operators will have to pay some of their profits back to the industry. The horse-racing industry in Europe believes that each member state should be free to decide for itself which forms of betting it will authorise and which mechanisms will ensure a fair return. The industry wants the EU to making ethical racing and betting a priority and ensure only responsible betting is allowed, restricting compulsive problem betting.
In the EU, some 15 member states have set up a system with a neutral operator whereby the bets placed, and wins paid out, are pooled. In the United Kingdom, Ireland and (recently) Italy, bookmakers decide on the odds and play against betters. Both systems pay back some of the money gambled to the horse-racing industry. Some 100,000 horse races are organised at Europe's 500 racecourses every year. The horse-betting market is estimated to be worth some €800 million a year. The horse-racing industry employs some 400,000 people in Europe. (M.B.)