UK betting operators are in for a shock on Thursday as reports indicate the government will proceed with plans to grant the horseracing industry its long-coveted ‘betting right.’

On Wednesday, the Racing Post broke the news that Thursday will see the Tory government announce plans to replace the much-loathed Levy system with a new regime that requires both land-based and online bookmakers to transfer a certain cut of their UK race betting revenue back to the sport.

On Thursday morning, Tory MP Bob Blackman is expected to table a question for the minister for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the government’s promise to impose a permanent solution to the annual Levy system, which requires land-based bookies to kick back 10.75% of their UK race betting revenue to the sport.

The minister is expected to respond with a vow to introduce secondary legislation extending the mandatory kickback to all race wagers, be they placed in a betting shop or via an online betting site. The legislation reportedly anticipates this new system to be in place by April 2017.