SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has relaunched its ‘Charity Bet’ campaign for the 2024 Grand National, celebrating British horseracing’s marquee event.
Organised by the trade body for UK gambling, this year’s Charity Bet campaign will see “More than 50 MPs from both sides of the House visiting local betting shops to place a Charity Bet on the Grand National.”
Participating MPs will be handed £50 to back a winner of the Grand National steeplechase on Saturday, 13 April, with all winnings being donated to a charity of their choice.
The BGC seeks to surpass last year’s donation of £11,000 raised for good causes, with MPs placing bets in local betting shops across the UK.
Of significance, the campaign highlights the importance of the Grand National to UK culture and heritage as a global event watched by around 600 million people across 140 countries, with an estimated 13 million adults in the UK placing a bet on it.
Betting and Gaming Council CEO Michael Dugher said, “Millions of us from all different backgrounds will once again come together to watch the Grand National and have a flutter on the world’s most famous horserace. It is an occasion like no other and demonstrates once again sport’s unique ability to bring the whole nation together. Betting shops support tens of thousands of jobs, generate vital revenue for the UK’s hard-pressed high streets, and support the national and local economies through tax and business rates. They also provide vital community for millions of betting and gaming fans.”
The BGC calls on MPs acknowledge that betting shops support 42,000 jobs on the UK’s hard-pressed high streets, contribute £800 million a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60m in business rates to local councils.
Dugher concluded, “I also want to say a huge thanks to the many MPs who have made the time and effort to meet with their local constituents working in high-street shops; for supporting so many good causes and local charities and for promoting the Grand National, which remains one of Britain’s biggest and best cultural and sporting events seen around the world.”
