Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-07-11
BRITISH TO TAX BETTING
HASKIN SAYS TODAY
Daily Letter by Frederic j. Haskio

WASHINGTON, July 11-Ameri-
cans who have been getting tired
of hearing about new taxes every
little while, especially during the
war, will be interested to hear OF
an impost about to be laid on our
British cousins which probably new
er will be legislated on this side OF
the water. 1t is a tax OF betting.
We have had taxes on sodas, on
candy, on fishing rods, IN fancy
vests and lamp shades as we'll as
on our incomes and excess profits,
but Americans so far have escaped
a federal tax or betting and prob
ably will continue to do so.
Betting, especially on the horse
races, occupies a different position in
England than 1t does here. In near
ly all states of the American I'm
ion, betting on the horses is illegal
and even where it is permitted II
is rather under a cloud and frowned
upon by many organizations in the
country. A great difference between
the public attitude in the two coun-
tries is that over here bets. have
no standing in the law. No suit
can be filed which is connected with
gambling. In England, however
suits arising from betting are fire.
quent in the law courts. They are
heard and decided on their merits
in accordance with the British code
This situation makes the proposed
betting tax not so surprising a mat
ter in England as it would be here.
Such a tax would not be unpopular
in England. 1t would fall under
the classification of a luxury tax
as betting is not a necessary activ-
ity of life. 1t is a species of sport
and the theory is that anyone who
has money enough to afford to en-
gage in sport, can afford to en-
tax to the Government.
Sir Horace Hamilton, Chairman
of the Board of Customs and Excise
of Great Britain-a position parable
to the American Commissioner OF
Internal Revenue-has submitted tc
a select committee the proposal to
levy a tax on betting and the COM
mittee is expected to bring in a re-
port embodying a scheme which, in
all probability, will be put into eff
feet.
The plan which is being discussed
tentatively provides that bookmak-
ers shall be licensed by the Gov
eminent. Each bookmaker shall
pay a license fee of $50 a year
Then the Government would levy a
fat percentage tax on each bet plac-
ed with these bookmakers. If a
rate of five per cent is decided up
on, a man making a bet of 500 on
a horse would have IS of this sum
deducted and paid to the Govern
ment. The bookmaker, presumably
would not be under bond, and would
make returns to some central
Office, of all taxes deducted from
the bets he accepted, just as in this
country the motion picture theatre
collects the tax and makes returns
to the Government.
Bet On Football Also
Horse races and football are the
sports on which the Englishman
places most of hrs bets. Football
occupies in England the same posi-
ton that baseball does here. 1t Is
the great professional game. There
are more fans in England than there
are in this country. While many
people throng American baseball
parks in the summer, they do not
approximate the numbers that turn
out for the great professional foot
ball matches in England. Whereas
a crowd of 10000 to $4,000 people
is a big one at an American base
ball game, British football attracts
crowds ranging from $4,000 to 1885,
900 at a single game. Cricket draws
nearly as well. With such interest
as this, it is easy to see that a ire
mendous tax would be collected
from a levy on the bets of the fans.
Indeed, the Commissioner of the
Excise are estimating that the bet
ting tax will produce a revenue Of
$50, 10000 a year. Hitherto, this
has been a wholly untouched source
of revenue.
Betting is much better organized
in England than it is here. Book
makers in this country are verr'
much under the ban of the law and
have to do their work in a clandes-
tine manner. In England a book
maker maintains an office openly
because his business is not illegal
In fact, the business Is so we'll rec
ognized that bookmakers even ex~
tend credit. If a man wants to bel
500 on a horse and lacks the cash,
the bookmaker will accept his bel
on credit. The spectacle Of an Am
sgicap bqokmakeE doing any thins