It's happening again. The tug of war between the mandarins of the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) and the Bookmakers Association. BTC is looking to hike up the stall fees of the 27 bookmakers operating in the first enclosure before the start of the summer season and introduce half-dozen bookies in the second enclosure. The proposed hike by the club, Rs 13,920 per day has been rejected by the bookies. The bookmakers, while pointing out that the stall fees at Bangalore is the highest, when compared to other premier racing centres, made it clear that the proposed increase by the club is high, each bookmaker needing to pay Rs 1,62,084 more than what the licensed bookmaker was paying in winter each month.

A leading bookmaker on condition of anonymity disclosed that the betting volumes have fallen thanks to many illegal online apps and more importantly the attendance on race days is dwindling and the race clubs are unable to arrest the slide. "Be it Mumbai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad, classic days apart, the turn out on the rest of the racing days is alarmingly falling and it is no secret that a majority of the punters are happy placing bets on the many apps and with some of the illegal bookies who continue to operate from the comfort of the rooms and their many hide-outs," revealed a senior bookie.

The members of the managing committee of the club, while pointing out that the proposed increase is not big made it clear that the bookies need to agree and honour the nominal hike. It is learnt from the bookmakers, that the club has decided to impose a 15-20 percent increase in the stall fees which they reckon is just not feasible  The bookies pointed out that the club has asked them to pay 1,05,000 against the 91,080 the bookies were paying in the winter season. "It effectively means a Rs 13,920 increase each day for Bangalore and with a similar increase for the off-course betting at other centres, each bookmaker will end up paying 1,62,084 every month," said a leading bookie pointing out that this will hit the bookies hard.

"The increase is very nominal and the proposed hike is introduced after a gap of two years," said BTC Steward KA Jagdish adding that the `dhanda' the 27 bookies are doing on any race day, be it oncourse or off-course is big.  "The betting volumes are only getting bigger and bigger and the bookies must stop crying hoarse and instead sportingly step up and support the club and the game," said Jagdish adding that the club also needs to generate higher revenue each year, required for proper and transparent conduct of the sport," said Jagdish.

It is clear that the bookmakers are a part of the racing wheel and that they need to play their part in the promotion of the sport rather than oppose any move designed by the management committee in the interest of racing. The bookmaker counter to this is that they are made scapegoats year after year and it's time they put an end to BTC milking  the cow. " The truth is more than a dozen bookmakers have lost out big this winter season, unable to pay the stall fees at the end of the season and the BTC is aware of this and yet instead of providing relief they are only pushing us to agree to the proposed hike. It is just not fair," said a seasoned bookmaker. 

The club after a dialogue with the senior members off the Bookmakers' Association have decided to break the dead-lock, advertising and calling for tenders for the operation of bookmakers stalls for 2025-2026. The application forms can be obtained online by emailing payment proof to ceo@btcraces.com or from the cash section of the club from Wednesday, April 23 and submitted in a sealed envelope to the CEO of the club on or before April 30. Will this help to gain the desired result?  is the big question. The committee is positive. And more importantly the men calling the shots spearheaded by chairman Manjunath Ramesh have decided to no more address issues sporting kid gloves. 

The bookmakers, no surprise, will not pick up the application forms. That in effect means that the club will need to rope in 27 new faces opting to do the `dhanda' at the proposed new cost. It will prove to be a difficult task taking into account that not many came forward to seal the deal and start operations last year. 

Well with less than a month to go for the start of the summer season, the best option is to work out a fair deal, the committee and the bookmakers arriving at a healthy figure rather than throwing a spanner in the racing wheel. It is learnt from our sources that the bookies are not averse to a five percent increase, while the club understandably is looking to gain a 15 percent increase. A change in stance will help and it is likely to come about in the week ahead failing which the bumper season from the bookmakers point of view will be forced to start on a damp note.