On Saturday afternoon, 29 December, the Senate of the Republic with 108 votes out of 173 approved the State Budget Law for 2025. It contains some very important measures for the horse racing sector, whose total resources for 2025 will be 161.109 million euros, or 15.7 million more than the first draft that was circulated in October.
Also included in the Budget Law is the famous 2.5% increase in the levy on virtual betting (from 22% to 24.5%), which realigns the levy evenly with football betting and fixed odds horse racing. For the latter, the levy goes from 43% (47 on online) of the margin to 24.5%. Part of the increased levy on virtual betting (2%) will go to cover the expected drop in revenue for the start-up of the new fixed odds betting system with the reduced levy.
Great satisfaction was expressed by the Undersecretary to the Masaf with Delegation for Horse Racing, Senator Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra: ‘The Financial Law has been approved,’ he said, ‘ The things we announced some time ago have now materialised. In a budget law based on prudence and on putting public accounts in order with a special eye on workers, pensioners, and the weaker segments of the population, horse racing has been given the maximum attention that the moment requires. No cuts in resources, but rather a structural increase that allows us to look to the future with greater peace of mind. Now on with the reform of the sector’.
