All races at racecourses are canceled. The horse racing industry is protesting against a proposed tax on betting.
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This is almost unheard of in France. The horse racing industry is on strike. All races this Thursday are canceled. The only precedents for the cancellation of races in France date back to the world wars and more recently to the Covid period. This Thursday, There should have been around 25 races in three racecourses, which will be closed, a “effort” which the sector estimates at 3 million euros.
The industry was alarmed last week by a government amendment to the draft social security budget providing for an increase in taxation on games and betting, particularly horse racing. The sector is planning a demonstration in Paris on Thursday afternoon, between Place Denfert-Rochereau in the 14th arrondissement and Place Vauban, behind the Invalides.
“Trainers, breeders, stable and stud staff, jockeys, we are all taking to the streets to say how much this tax wanted by the government and parliament endangers our jobs and the life of our industry.” alerts Thibault Lamare, trotter trainer and spokesperson for professionals in the horse racing industry, in a press release.
“If it passes, the vast majority of us will lose a month's salary from January“, he laments.
The amendment provided for an increase in the tax from 6.9% to 7.5% on gross gaming revenue from horse racing bets placed in the physical network (PMU, racecourses) and from 6.9% to 15% for bets online, measures that the sector estimates at “35 million euros per year”.
If for security reasons, the demonstrators will not travel on horseback, there will be a few horses on site, notably with the Italian equestrian stuntman and trainer Mario Luraschi.
To allow everyone to come and demonstrate, the sector, which expects 5,000 people on Thursday, “was forced to make an unprecedented decision: cancel all races for the day“, specifies a press release.
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