BHB Managing Director Chris Reynolds commented today:
鈥淚n the Gross Profits Tax environment, BHB鈥檚 fair and reasonable pricing structure for data, audio/video and audio packages is affordable and gives no cause for deductions to be imposed on punters. It is totally inaccurate for bookmakers to claim otherwise.
鈥淚t has been suggested that betting turnover could double under GPT but, even if it rises by a conservative 40%, the betting industry鈥檚 profits will increase substantially.
鈥淚t should be borne in mind that British bookmakers currently pay on average more than 2.5% of turnover for their racing product – some pay as much as 3.5-4% – and that 3% is the internationally accepted norm for purchasing pictures and data.
鈥淭he spotlight should not be on BHB鈥檚 pricing policy but on what SIS has been charging the betting industry and what it intends to charge small bookmakers from May 2002.
鈥淏HB will be making a full presentation of its policy next month and will be making no further comment until then.鈥�
