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Offshore Gambling Bill

I thank the hon. Lady for that response. As the day goes on, she will probably have to listen to the argument from the gambling industry that racing owes its success in large part to the ease of having a flutter at the races. The industry will argue that it already does enough. Similar arguments will be made about how racing has become less important because of the development of online gambling and of in-game betting alongside result betting. Those are arguments that she and the sponsors of the Bill will have to take on. I am sure that they will be presented again and again as the Government’s Bill proceeds and as the hon. Lady and others table amendments to it.

I conclude by returning to a point that I made in an intervention on the hon. Lady, and on which I hope the Minister will be able to comment. There is great merit in keeping this Bill simple and in dealing with racing separately. The Bill is the regulatory end of the changes to the taxation regime that will benefit everyone in the country through increased contributions to the Treasury coffers, and that will benefit operators who have remained here and face competition from organisations overseas that do not pay tax. The real danger is that a vexatious complaint could be made, causing delays because of the European Union angle. The Government’s approach has much to commend it, if they proceed with careful thought and simplicity, and if the racing element is dealt with separately.

11.29 am