Ladbrokes and Coral have finally signed up to Turf TV, with William Hill and Betfred likely to follow suit in the next few days, but the fallout from the row will deepen divides over the upcoming levy determination and could have profound implications for the future funding of racing in the UK.

The collapse of talks last week to determine the levy to fund British horseracing has thrown the issue back to the DCMS and Culture Minister James Purnell to determine a figure. The UK government will now asses the merits of the bookmaking industry’s arguments that the costs of subscribing to Turf TV and the regulatory costs of being licensed by the Gambling Commission should be offset against their contributions.

Both bookmakers and racecourses expressed disappointment yesterday after the government announced it would set the 2008/09 levy on horserace betting at the same rate as last year. The government also rejected bookmaker’s requests to offset their licensing costs and their bills for Turf TV and delivered a warning over the future regulation of B2 gaming machines in shops.

The future of gaming machines and wagering in New South Wales may depend on the Productivity Commission's final report which is due to be presented to the Federal Government on February 26, 2010. The Federal Court will also soon determine whether the 'race fields' levy on turnover is discriminatory.

Britain’s independent bookmakers have accused the UK Gambling Commission of being “conned” by corporate betting firms over the issue of split premises and multiple licenses.

The Racecourse Association (RCA) is set to ignore a Parliamentary committee’s call to compensate on-course bookmakers who lose out financially when betting pitch rules change in 2012.

British racing has angered the UK’s biggest bookmakers with its demands for additional fees for broadcast signals from its best-known tracks, but a court battle could open up prickly competition law concerns for both sides.

Whilst most European jurisdictions have adopted modern regulatory structures for gaming, the industry in Ireland remains regulated by antiquated laws such as the Betting Act 1931 and the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956.

Beset by the global financial crisis and increasing competition in neighboring states, Mississippi posted the lowest state wide casino revenues since 1998.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has seized on a new study on the racing industry’s contribution to the UK economy to point out what it sees as a disparity in the money racing receives from the UK betting industry in comparison to its international counterparts.