500% increase in tax leaves bookies fuming

BANGALORE: The Karnataka government has increased the tax payable by private and licensed bookmakers operating at the Bangalore Turf Club by almost 500 per cent. Annexure 3 (a) of the proposals states that bookmakers in the first and second enclosures of the BTC will have to pay increased taxes.But the budget proposals do not mention whether bookmakers operating at the Mysore Race Course will also have to pay taxes as per the new schedule - strange as the budget is for the entire state and all similar activities must have uniform taxation.The state government has always had a soft corner for Mysore but has been unbelievably harsh on Bangalore. Consequent to the new proposals, bookies in the first enclosure will have to pay Rs 35,000 or 20 per cent of their turnover  whichever is higher for the winter meeting. Hitherto they were paying Rs 25,000 or 20 per cent. For summer races, it has been increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000.Off-course betting on Mumbai races has been brought on par with the Bangalore winter season for tax purposes. For Pune, it has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 or 15 per cent which ever is higher.For Mysore races, it is now Rs 30,000 in lieu of Rs 5,000; Hyderabad up from Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000; Kolkata from Rs 8,000 to Rs 15,000; Chennai from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000; and Ooty from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 with 15 per cent being the common factor.“If the idea is to force punters to patronise the tote, it will fail as once bookmakers go out of business, tote betting too will fall. Unlicensed bookies may prosper,” said Ashoke Lalwani, a bookmaker.