The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has urged the sport to collectively lobby the Government to back British racing and axe the Treasury’s proposal to hike tax on horserace betting by bringing existing online betting duties into one single rate.

The call comes ahead of the launch of “Axe the Racing Tax”, a BHA-led public campaign against the proposal which will be rolled out over the summer.

A tax hike for bookmakers in the Autumn Budget would be the third leg of a triple whammy of financial threats caused by Government policies which jeopardise the future of the sport in Britain.

Economic analysis commissioned by the BHA shows that aligning the current 15% tax rate paid by bookmakers on racing with that of online games of chance – currently taxed at 21% – by harmonising all remote gambling duties, could hit racing’s finances to the tune of £66m in lost income via the Levy, media rights and sponsorship. This is because operators are likely to seek to mitigate significant tax rises through cutting bonuses, reducing advertising and marketing budgets and increasing prices.

Should the Treasury seek to raise the proposed single duty rate further to help balance the books, the impact on racing’s finances would be devastating, with a projected £97m loss at a tax rate of 25%, a £126m loss at 30% and a £160m loss at 40%.

Brant Dunshea, Acting Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority, said: “It is vital that everyone working in racing, the media and bettors fully support and promote this campaign.

“The Government’s consultation on harmonising online betting duties, if followed through, poses one of the gravest risks to racing the sport has ever seen.

“It will punch a huge hole in racing’s finances, risk thousands of jobs across Britain and threaten the future of the country’s second most-popular sport and a cherished national institution.

“From now until the Budget we will be hammering home a very simple message to MPs, Peers and the Government on behalf of millions of racing fans. It’s time for the Government to back British racing and axe the racing tax.”

On the occasion of the four-year anniversary of the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL) on 1 July 2025, Sandro Kirchner, State Secretary in the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, for Sport and Integration, has taken over the chairmanship of the GGL Administrative Board, succeeding Reiner Moser, Head of Office in the Ministry of the Interior, for Digitalisation and Municipalities for Baden-Württemberg.

During Reiner Moser’s term as Chairman of the Board of Directors, the GGL further established itself as a reliable institution for the supervision and monitoring of the online gambling market.

“The online gambling market has developed rapidly in recent years. The GGL has met the resulting challenges with great commitment and can already demonstrate remarkable results both in combating illegal gambling and in regulating and supervising the legal market. The exchange between the states and the GGL is always trusting and results-oriented. I would like to sincerely thank the Board of Directors and all GGL employees for this constructive cooperation over the past year,” said Head of Department Moser.

State Secretary Kirchner takes over the chairmanship at a time when the GGL is pursuing ambitious goals, including stronger international networking, particularly to further curb the illegal gambling market.

“The consistent prosecution of illegal offerings and player protection are my highest priorities. The work of the GGL must continue to be significantly geared towards ensuring that the business model of illegal gambling is not profitable in Germany,” said Sandro Kirchner.

With regard to his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors, he added: “I look forward to continuing the successful work of everyone involved over the past four years. We will certainly continue to face many challenges. However, I believe the GGL is well positioned to achieve this.”

The Board of Directors is the supervisory and steering body of the GGL. It consists of the heads of departments or state secretaries of the ministries responsible for gaming supervision in the 16 member states. The chair of the Board of Directors rotates annually on July 1st in alphabetical order of the member states.

Betsson will continue as the official betting partner of the ATP tennis tournament Nordea Open, held in Båstad, Sweden, from 13–20 July, 2025. This renowned clay court event – formerly known as the Swedish Open – will this year feature standout players including Grigor Dimitrov, Francisco Cerúndolo, and defending champion Nuno Borges.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023, the Swedish Open in Båstad is one of the most established tournaments on the ATP 250 calendar. Held almost every summer since 1948 – with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic – it was voted Tournament of the Year by players for 11 consecutive seasons between 2002 and 2012, and continues to grow in prestige and popularity.

“We’re very pleased that Betsson is extending its partnership with us. It not only strengthens the tournament’s reputation and presence on the international tennis scene, but also reflects Betsson’s long-term commitment to the sport,” said Christer Hult, Managing Director at Arena Båstad.

As part of the sponsorship, Betsson will have prominent visibility throughout the venue and will offer a wide range of betting options on the tournament.

“Tennis plays a key role in Betsson’s sponsorship strategy – both in Sweden and globally. We’ve supported the sport at various levels and across different regions, but few places compare to the unique atmosphere of Båstad. For us, this is more than just a tournament – it’s a cherished summer tradition we’re proud to support,” said Robin Olenius, Head of PR at Betsson Group.

This partnership adds to Betsson’s already robust global sponsorship portfolio. Betsson Group is the main sponsor of football clubs such as Inter, Boca Juniors, Atlético Nacional, and Club Brugge. In tennis, Betsson is the main sponsor of the BNP Paribas Nordic Open, has previously partnered with former world-class player Jonas Björkman as brand ambassador, and has sponsored multiple ATP tournaments across South America.