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A~ 1 GERMANrS BETTING LAW New Government of Republic Seeking Money From Racing Organizations. There are to be some drastic changes in German betting law. An empty exchequer is the reason and racing is to be used to help fill it. The government is being brought to the itlea that it pays a country better to let private people run a business, and then tax them heavily, than for the state to manage the business itself. The new betting law. which is part of Dr. Wirths financial reforms, is a good example of this principle. Ip to the present the same system of controlling race couise betting has been enforced in Germany as in Australia, and in some parts of India. The government has forbidden all bookmaking. but mil-tuels are permitted on race courses, and these pay a certain percentage of their takings to the government. In Germany this percentage is now about 10 per cent, ami the returns are poor and false. In practice this percentage is evaded through furtive bookmaking. known as "Winkebuch maker." There is no great secrecy about its operations and most of the owners patronize it. Dade* the new betting law the totalizator will continue, but bookmaking is legalized under certain restrictions. The bookmaker must take out a license ami pay lo per cent of all stakes as taxes. ยป
