THE BETTING TAX
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Betting is acknowledged to have reached a stage that makes it a real menace to the well-being of our national life. The Tax proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will do nothing materially to remedy this. One of the chief con- tributors to the evil is the Press, which by columns of racing news, tips, &c., not only keeps the idea of betting constantly before people, but may he said almost to invite betting. A sufficiently heavy tax on a column of type of racing and betting news (a column being defined as so many inches long), and a gradually increasing tax for every so many inches beyond that amount, would have very material results. Either it would bring in a very healthy revenue to the Exchequer, or (which would be far better) do a lot to reduce the prominence at present given the subject in the ordinary morning and evening papers. Racing and sporting papers would probably have to
increase their price, forming an. indirect am, Sir, &e.,.
B. F. H.
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