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Let me pay £7.5m tax, begs chief
Press Association
Tuesday May 14, 2002
The Guardian
A British businessman is lobbying the US government to tax and regulate online gambling in an attempt to prevent the business being banned.
Nigel Payne, chief executive of London-based Sportingbet, has placed adverts in US papers featuring an Englishman holding an umbrella under the slogan: "Please sir, can I pay some tax?"
He has hired an American lobbying firm to try to persuade Congress to force his company to pay £7.5m annually to US coffers.
The move follows attempts by several Congressmen to ban online gambling after years of confusion about its legal position. Americans are free to place bets on the internet, but online betting companies are not allowed to set up shop in the US.
Mr Payne said the US should follow the UK's example where the government has enforced strong regulation on the business and takes 15% in tax.
Press Association
Tuesday May 14, 2002
The Guardian
A British businessman is lobbying the US government to tax and regulate online gambling in an attempt to prevent the business being banned.
Nigel Payne, chief executive of London-based Sportingbet, has placed adverts in US papers featuring an Englishman holding an umbrella under the slogan: "Please sir, can I pay some tax?"
He has hired an American lobbying firm to try to persuade Congress to force his company to pay £7.5m annually to US coffers.
The move follows attempts by several Congressmen to ban online gambling after years of confusion about its legal position. Americans are free to place bets on the internet, but online betting companies are not allowed to set up shop in the US.
Mr Payne said the US should follow the UK's example where the government has enforced strong regulation on the business and takes 15% in tax.
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