Never Thought I Would Say This

I think the bha should start opening their own bookmakers all over the country with a view to in say 5-10 years , only allowing bets on horse racing to be placed in their shops .
then 100% can go towards horse racing instead of the 10.75% or whatever it is now

A Tote Monopoly has been missed twice ...

First time - When Betting Shops were legalised in the early 1960s.

Although, admittedly- it 'would have gone down like a lead balloon' in those days - and for the next 4 decades, too.

Second time - Far more recently - When the Tote was sold to the 'BOOKMAKER' Fred ... an absolutely unforgivable ERROR.

the races with good prize money in the uk seldom get many runners,as for a tote monopoly i have been to quite a few counties racing and other than australia i have been bored out of my head.

agree with onlooker re betfred getting the tote there were probably deals done just like the way chelmsford got so many fixtures.

Hi rayman never thought i would agree but i now do.When the Tote was sold to Binns i must confess i took little interest but this was prior to experiencing the bookmaker restrictions and then the PC on here.As another member suggested on the account closure thread a 5% take with no interference or greed would work to the benefit of all concerned.

I would like to presume that the OP is NOT advocating a TOTAL Tote Monopoly (To include On-Course) ... But an OFF-Course Tote Monopoly, with ON-Course Bookmakers still operating, as in Australia.

However - that would be akin to, or entail, a Nationalisation of Betting Shops  - or, as with pablo's suggestion, returning to the pre-1960s days of OFF-Course betting with BOOKMAKERS being made ILLEGAL, again.

Either of the above scenarios would, surely, land us with horrendous legal compensation claims by Billy's et al - and to be paid by whom? - The Government would not 'divi up' - The BHA are already running at at Annual loss. 

However - If a - or, rather, the - Horse Racing Consortium were to have got the TOTE - they would have, at least, RETAINED the TOTE BETTING SHOPS - and with the availability, and often preference for, ONLINE Betting - been able to grow the TOTE POOLS and offer a VIABLE alternative to the Punter - by REDUCING the percentage 'Take' from those Pools - as opposed the Fred the Ego having actually INCREASED the 'Take' - thus killing that alterenative.