Bookmaker News – Tote Lobbying Government to Ease Restrictions

The Racing Post are reporting that the Tote will take the opportunity to bet on other mainstream sports if the government bows to pressure and lifts restrictions that currently mean the public-owned operator can only operate pools on horse racing. Tote chief executive Trevor Beaumont has been involved in high-level discussions with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport for over 12 months in a bid to open up the betting market and put it on a level playing field with the UK’s bookmaking giants. The French government is currently in the process of verifying law changes that will allow the PMU to take bets on football and tennis among other high-profile sports and Beaumont feels its only fair that the Tote enjoys the same advantages. Proposals set before the British government currently don’t embrace non-sporting events such as The X-Factor, Strictly Come Dancing or the Eurovision Song Contest, but Beaumont believes they shouldn’t be exempt from new legislation. "It wouldn’t make sense to have exclusions, so if pool betting was opened up to every type of event, we’d have a look at the possibilities and the market would decide what worked." The government, of course, will be doing everything in their power to make the Tote a more appealing investment to potential buyers though the barrier of compensation to those governing the sports involved in any expansion remain. The horse racing levy currently covers that sport but one can’t imagine, say, the Premier League idly standing by if there’s any chance of making a few extra million. The initial draft proposal is due for publication in June but isn’t thought to include any mention of consultation between affected parties which suggest a few people haven’t really done their homework. I’d just question whether there really would be a demand for a tote pool on other sports – surely that’s what betfair is there for?