I've long felt that the horse and dog racing industries not only are but deserve to be a fading breed. Animals bred, hit and transported all around the country for the amusement of a few old men hardly sounds like the entertainment of the future.
The Irish Government however apparently feels differently. They feel that all online gambling and players - including people like us who enjoy a game of skill, intelligence and absolutely no animal cruelty - should support this industry through tax and regulation.
This will have the additional benefit of facilitating the extension of the tax regime for the betting industry to all those providing online and telephone betting and so underpin funding for the racing industry.
Cowen was reported as saying by broadcaster RTE Business - Source: EGRMagazine
Of course the likely impacts are minimal - Irish players will still play at offshore sites and those sites will continue to be very successful promoting their services primarily online. With a bit of luck a few existing operators based in Ireland will quit the country reducing tax revenue and this ridiculous plan to prop up an industry on life support with the juice of successful and ethical businesses will backfire spectacularly.
