BGC warns illegal bookmakers will take £500 million in National Hunt bets

Illegal gambling operators are forecast to take an estimated £500 million in bets during Britain's National Hunt season, the Betting and Gaming Council has warned. The trade body said £10 million is expected to be staked with illegal bookmakers across this weekend's Cheltenham November Meeting. The warning was issued ahead of Safer Gambling Week, which begins on 16 November. The BGC said licensed operators must comply with strict regulatory standards including age verification and safer gambling measures, while illegal sites operate outside UK regulation.

"Britain's National Hunt season is one of the highlights of our sporting calendar, but criminal gambling operators are also looking to cash in," said BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst. She said these operators contribute nothing to British racing, pay no UK tax and offer none of the vital protections customers expect from licensed bookmakers. Hurst stated the BGC would continue to work closely with the government and the Gambling Commission to tackle the illegal black market. The season runs from October to April and includes major events like the King George VI Chase, the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National.

Independent analysis by WARC found unregulated operators now account for almost half of all UK gambling advertising spend. Forecasts from H2 Gambling Capital estimate the amount staked with illegal operators could grow from £17 billion in 2026 to more than £33 billion by 2028. Research from the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities published last week showed unlicensed sites drew 19.4 visits for every 100 visits to licensed sites in the first seven months of 2026. That rate has risen from about one per 100 in late 2021.

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Enforcement actions have not produced a sustained decline in illegal traffic. Since April 2024, the Gambling Commission has issued more than 3,100 cease-and-desist or disruption notices. British Horseracing Authority chief executive Brant Dunshea warned that racing customers who move to illegal operators face greater risks and fewer consumer protections. The BGC said black market operators pay no UK tax and make no financial contribution to British horseracing, unlike its members who contribute more than £350 million each year.

A September report for Euromat estimated Europe's black market has grown 18 percent a year since 2019. It warned that a recent rise in UK remote gaming duty could push the UK black market to as much as €1 billion. Online betting duty is set to rise to 25 percent in April 2027, though remote bets on UK horse racing will remain at 15 percent. The BGC said the regulated betting and gaming sector supports 109,000 jobs and contributes £6.8 billion to the UK economy.