UK Court of Appeal grants Sportech Plc right to challenge VAT repayment

Sportech PLC today announced that it had been granted permission by the UK Court of Appeal in relation to its VAT repayment claim regarding its “Spot the Ball” competition. Sportech is set to further challenge the UK tax authorities relating to tax claims worth more than £90 million.

The company issued a short corporate statement this morning stating that a hearing on its case is expected to take place later this year, Sportech will update shareholders and media of when the case is due to take place.

Sportech had in 2009 asked HM Revenue & Customs to repay more than £40 million in VAT that the company claimed it had overpaid on its Spot the Ball game between 1979 and 1996, and later took the case to a tribunal which initially found in its favour and said it was owed GBP95 million including simple interest.

However, HMRC, which had paid the company £93 million, then successfully appealed with an upper tribunal in September of last year, and the company was required to repay the money back to the UK tax authorities

The operator has sought leave the appeal to the UK’s Court of Appeal, a move that has now been granted by the appeal court itself, ensuring the battle is set to continue for a while longer.