§ Mr. TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to what is(a) the general betting duty on off course winning bets on greyhound racing, (b) the amount usually deducted from winning greyhound bets in off-course betting offices, and (c) the amount deducted from winning greyhound bets from horserace totalisator betting shops; and whether has considered introducing a levy scheme on off-course betting for greyhound racing.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answer 24 February 1989]: Under section 1 of the Betting and Gaming Duties Act 1981, general betting duty, on all off-course bets, is an amount equal to 8 per cent. of the amount staked. The amount of any deductions made in their mutual transactions is a matter for the bookmaker and the punter, subject to the requirement in the Licensed Betting Office Regulations 1986 for a betting office licensee to display a notice setting out the terms of which he invites people to bet. But I understand that betting offices customarily deduct 10 per cent. from either the bet or the winnings (if any), at the punter's choice, whatever the bet is on. The same applies in betting offices operated by the Horserace Totalisator Board. We have no proposals for legislation to introduce a levy on off-course betting on greyhound races, although we are considering representations on the matter.