Lottery warning

Racing could lose up to £4m as a result of the National Lottery, the Levy Board claimed yesterday. The board warns that a special NOP survey, conducted in the two weeks leading up to the first draw, has indicated that spending on horse race betti ng may fall by five per cent.

The survey, based on 3,396 interviews, suggested that 86 per cent of betting shop punters expected to play the lottery. Racing is financed by a levy collected by bookmakers from punters.