U.K.-based pool and sports-betting operator Sportech Plc. announced that Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has applied to the Supreme Court for further permission to appeal its rescinded £97 million value-added tax (VAT) repayment claim.
The move by HMRC follows last month’s decision by the U.K. Court of Appeal to rule in favor of Sportech Plc. regarding its ongoing ‘Spot the Ball’ competition tax repayment claim.
The seven-year tax reclaim battle between Sportech and HMRC is valued at £97 million, from its original dispute of £40 million paid by the company on its “Spot the Ball” competition winnings between 1979 and 1996.
Following last month’s ruling by the U.K. Court of Appeal in favor of Sportech’s case, the firm stated that it was positive that it had finally cleared the VAT repayment matter. In a corporate statement, Sportech said that it would move to file a new notice of objection regarding HMRC’s appeal with the Supreme Court.
Further updating the market on ongoing claim proceedings, Sportech governance detailed that it expects to hear by this fall whether HMRC has been granted the right to appeal to the Supreme Court.
