S.I. No. 171/2004 - Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994. Racecourses (Authorised Bookmakers Pitch Charges) Regulations, 2004

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

S.I. No. 171 of 2004.

IRISH HORSERACING INDUSTRY ACT, 1994.

RACECOURSES (AUTHORISED BOOKMAKERS PITCH CHARGES) REGULATIONS, 2004.

Horse Racing Ireland, in exercise of the powers conferred upon it by Section 54B of the Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994 (as inserted by the Horse And Greyhound Racing (Betting Charges And Levies) Act, 1999 ), hereby makes the following Regulations:

1. Citation And Commencement.

(a)  These Regulations may be cited as the Racecourses (Authorised Bookmakers Pitch Charges) Regulations, 2004;

(b)  These Regulations shall come into effect on the 1st day of January 2004.

2. Definitions.

(a)  In the Regulations, “the Act” means the Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994 ;

(b)  Section 2 of the Act shall also apply to the interpretation of these Regulations;

(c)  Nothing in these Regulations shall prejudice the powers and rights of Horse Racing Ireland under the Act.

3. Payment Of Pitch Charges By Authorised Bookmakers.

Authorised bookmakers shall pay to the executive of an authorised racecourse an annual pitch charge (and different charges may be fixed in respect of different parts of the same racecourse and in respect of different racecourses), which charge shall be advised by Horse Racing Ireland to each authorised bookmaker and shall be payable to Horse Racing Ireland on behalf of the relevant executive.

4. Amendments to Regulations.

These Regulations may be amended from time to time by Horse Racing Ireland.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

It is proposed, following consultations between the Association of Irish Racecourses, the Irish National Bookmakers Association and Horse Racing Ireland, that a pitch charge would be introduced for on-course bookmakers.

This charge, as provided for in section 54B of the Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994 (as inserted by the Horse And Greyhound Racing (Betting Charges And Levies) Act, 1999 ), would than be paid by all bookmakers holding pitches at an authorised racecourse.

It is proposed that the charges would be collected by Horse Racing Ireland in conjunction with the turnover charge monthly direct debit system already in operation.

The payments would be returned by Horse Racing Ireland to the relevant racecourse.