Extra costs stemming from a proposed betting advertising ban could end daily coverage of Irish horse racing, the sport’s main broadcaster has confirmed.
Racing industry figures warned this week that a proposed blanket pre-watershed ban in the Gambling Regulation Bill threatened coverage of the sport, potentially damaging racetrack revenues and thoroughbred ownership.
Martin Stevenson, chief executive of the group that owns Racing TV which holds media rights to all 26 Irish racetracks, confirmed the ban would “likely mean that it isn’t viable to continue broadcasting in Ireland”.
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The proposed law would increase Racing TV’s costs by forcing it to move its Irish operation to a new channel requiring extra services from Sky.
Racing TV broadcasts Irish and British racing — also followed by fans in the Republic — on the same channel.
This carries some bookmaker advertising but also has deals with betting companies that involve their representatives appearing on previews and live broadcasts of meetings to market their firms’ odds and promotions.
Satisfying the proposed law, which the Oireachtas has yet to pass, would require splitting the Irish element of its coverage from this, which the channel’s owner, Racecourse Media Group, believes would not be viable.
Mr Stevenson said the group had only recently signed a new deal with Irish tracks covering 2024 to 2028.
“TV coverage is the lifeblood for any sport and the damage that the loss of these channels in Ireland might cause the successful Irish racing industry is of real concern,” he said.
He added that once fans were no longer able to watch the sport on TV, there was a real risk of it suffering a decline in interest and participation.
The channel’s coverage includes leading courses, Leopardstown, Punchestown and the Curragh, as well as smaller venues such as Wexford, Sligo and Ballinrobe in Co Mayo.
A subsequent loss of daily racing coverage could hit 3,000 pubs, clubs and hotels that subscribe to Racing TV, relying on it to attract customers at otherwise slower periods of the day.
Mr Stevenson argued that the advertising ban could end up having consequences for these businesses.
Subscription-only
The channel has discussed these implications with the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland and the Licensed Vintners’ Association.
Racing TV, whose British tracks include Cheltenham and Aintree, is subscription-only, and solely available to over-18s.
Mr Stevenson said that this should satisfy “opt-in” safeguards that feature in other sections of the Bill.
Section 141 of the Bill bans gambling advertising from all TV in the Republic between 5:30am and 9:00pm.
The Government included the provision on the recommendation of a report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, which held pre-legislative hearings that focused mainly on tackling problem gambling.
Sky Sports Racing
Organisations representing Irish racecourses, trainers and racehorse owners want the section amended to exempt specialist channels, Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing, which is also available in the Republic.
Similar rules apply to such broadcasters in the UK and Australia, both of whose gambling laws include strict limits on advertising.
Industry groups have raised the issue with Minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne who introduced the Bill in the Oireachtas
It is understood that he and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee will propose amendments to the Bill at the report stage, but it is not known if these will include any exemptions from the advertising ban.