Ashok Kumar,

Of course all horse talk members might be fully aware of my dislike to the bookies.   I only hope that you will believe me when I said that I do not hate bookies.  They are my only reliable friends inside the race course.   Too many times, I decide on my bets only after seeing the odds from the bookies.

Of course, the club may refuse permission to bookies in the initial days.  However, I have a gut feeling that bookies may get a green signal from winter meetings onwards (that is after November) and may function thereafter.  BTC may be disinterested with  bookies.  But at Mumbai, the clout of bookies in the racing world is too high and they may finally succeed in forcing the establishment to permit them.

However, I strongly feel that you are favoring the bookies because of 10% tax.  I do not think it shall be possible for them to accept bets from mobile phones or computer by allowing 10% tax.  You will be forced to cough up 33% tax.  In that case,  I am the last person to object their doing business.

Of course, bookies get very high bets from mobile phones or from channels other than turf-club-approved mode for which they may still charge only 10%.  But that shall be for big big bettors.  20k or above.  I do not think they will encourage small time bettors.

Of course, I apoligise in advance if you are not thinking of bets at 10%.

@SSPP  ,

I think the composition of punters as a class will see wholesale change once online betting operations start. Small time punters who are not tech-savvy may disappear from the scean. 

I would not read too much in to the high GST,  which is there to stay. In this country,  any activity that gives higher  rate of return will attract  people in droves. A small time cooperative bank,  which shows all the signs of going bust in near future , will still attract depositor,  if it offers 2 % Interest above normal rate. ! On paper racing is still an attractive investment!!   Take a hot tip,  press a few buttons and see your bank account grow!!!. No risk of stigma attached to racing too. Yes  , we will get an entirely new class of punters,  who just do not know  what they are stepping into! 

SSPP

One can not justify bookies collecting 10% extra from punters and cheating the Government & club of its due revenue at any cost.

Well said.  But, they have the support of 90% of punters.  Only those who are betting low, (less than 1000) are playing at tote.  

At Bangalore, the bookies were raided by City Crime Branch, Commercial Tax Officer and GST authorities.  They were in lockup for about 2/3 days and then are out on bail.  They were not seen in BTC race course for the major part of winter campaign.  (November 15 onwards),  A good riddance.

The online betting will ensure that bookies influence or stranglehold will be greatly reduced.   People who bet upto 5000 may however continue to do business in tote.  But those who bet 10k and more (may be even 5 lakhs or 10 lakhs) will find it extremely difficult to part with nearly 33% tax.  Some kind of transparency will definitely ensure.

At Hong Kong, there is only tote.  Not only Hong Kong; there are several other countries where the punter has to compulsorily bet only at tote.  I do not know about the tax structure in those countries; but my guess is it is punter friendly.  Whereas in India, the horse betting is considered sin and a high amount of sin tax is collected.  

And, I have no grievance/complaint about the high tax.   I do not know about other punters;  but, as far as I am concerned, it has helped me to completely stop my bet on win/place.  And, the amount of bets on forecast & other exotic pools is not even 15% of what I used to bet before July 2017.   A small section of punters have either stopped betting or started doing business with the bookies.

I do not know what the turnover at Hong Kong, Japan etc.  But, I guess that the business there touches trillions in a year.  Entirely at tote.  I hope the canvassers or spokespersons of the bookies are listening.  

In India, the business at tote is painfully low.  Of course totes at BTC and to some extent HYD offer some small competition. 

The question is how the punters respond to the new environment?

My gut feeling is that totes will flourish with high volume of bets whereas bookies should be satisfied with whatever small customer base they will be able to lure.  I do not think the bookies will be able to generate high level of business like cricket betting.

Of course, there are pet friends of bookies; who are yet to come to terms with reality.  They will be tom toming that bookies turnover is 10, 20 times the turnover at tote.  Well.  Let the bookies turn over be 100 times of what it will be at tote.  ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM.

Hope  with out  book maker raceing  will not have  charm  present  situation depending on tote  odds  it's not worth 

Btc should provide  bookmakers to operate with minimum  race  people's 

Depending on live  odds from bookmakers it's  good to watch and follow  

Tote is good for shp and third horse  

For win and place  its  very  difficult frankly  raceing will not sustain more days

This is my personal opinion 

Regards 

Ya very true . I have a doubt . Can any one say what will be the maximum amount can play in online betting   . 

With Bookies going into oblivion ,says the champ- how? the grey betting market which is the main market has got nothing to do wtth race premises - they are online- can club/govt online compete with them -no chance- not supporting any organization -my support will always be who ever gives better odds-  and if that too is not right/fair -distance yourself from gambling .

Gamblers with high Morals while wagering are all dead Financially - even before they are actually dead - Fate is sealed.

I can understand you live on a high moral ground in what ever you do-,but I have my doubts - 1] is it morally right to go on a gambling spree different states 2] is it ok to call yourslf SMART by shopping on tote when a better deal is available -  cpp is what you are - confused poor punter.