Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2017
140. Deputy Kate O'Connell asked the Minister for Finance the number of betting shops that paid betting tax to the Revenue Commissioners in 2015; the number of these with an annual turnover of less than €2 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4534/17]
View answer141. Deputy Kate O'Connell asked the Minister for Finance the amount received from the 1% betting tax in each year from 2010 to 2015; the portion of this which was received from bookmakers with an annual turnover of less than €2 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4535/17]
View answer142. Deputy Kate O'Connell asked the Minister for Finance the impact of reducing the current rate of betting tax on betting shops with an annual turnover of less than €2 million to the same level as that which exists for on-course bookmakers; if such a reduction would be viable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4536/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 140 to 142, inclusive, together.
I am informed by Revenue that at end 2015, 321 bookmakers licences had issued, with 80 of these issued to persons running betting shops. The total number of premises associated with these licences is 828. As the information provided to Revenue does not require a betting licence holder to provide the turnover generated from each of their shops, it is not possible to determine the number of these shops with an annual turnover of less than €2 million.
I am further informed by Revenue that the amount received from the 1% betting tax (and other betting duties) is published on the Revenue statistics page: http://www.revenue.ie/en/about/statistics/betting-duty-receipts.html. The portion of this tax received from bookmakers with an annual turnover of less than €2 million is not readily available. However, Revenue advise that analysis suggests the majority of the receipts are paid by the larger companies and the share from those with an annual turnover of less than €2 million is likely to be relatively small.
As it is not possible to separately identify the relevant bookmakers, there is no basis for Revenue to estimate a costing in relation to Question 4537-17. However, a proposal to provide a tax relief or tax exemption for one sector of an industry, i.e. betting shops with an annual turnover of less than €2 million, and not provide it to other sectors, such as for example the remote sector, would give rise to State Aid concerns.
