Dean Russell MP visited Paddy Power in Watford to place a £50 charity bet on the 2024 Grand National, with all winnings going to One Vision, a local charity.
And even if the horse doesn’t win, BGC members will still donate £250 to Dean’s nominated charity, ensuring no one misses out.
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the standards body for the regulated UK betting and gaming industry, invited MPs to visit either a Paddy Power, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral or Betfred shop in their constituency to place the free charity bet ahead of the world’s greatest steeplechase.
The Grand National is the most popular horserace in the world and this year takes place on Saturday, 13th April, at Aintree Racecourse. The sporting spectacular is watched by around 600 million people across 140 countries, and it’s estimated over 13 million adults in the UK will have a flutter on the outcome.
Dean said ‘The Grand National is one of those great sporting moments when the whole nation comes together. I was delighted to visit my local betting shop to meet the staff and customers, take up BGC's generous offer of a charity bet, and also discuss the incredibly important work they have been doing on safer gambling.
Betting shops employ tens of thousands on hard-pressed high streets and support our local economy through business rates contributions. And for regulars, they provide a community. I was delighted to visit and hear more about their place in our constituency’.
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, bring vital revenue to 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.
I also want to say a huge thanks to all MPs, including Dean Russell 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’.
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 £60 million in business rates to local councils.
Meanwhile, a study by ESA Retail found that 89% of betting shop customers combine their trips to the bookies with visits to other local businesses.
According to previous industry research by the Betting and Gaming Council, approximately £250 million will be staked on the Grand National. Meanwhile, a 2023 report by Liverpool Business School found the 2022 Grand National had a total economic impact of over £60 million on the local economy.
The Grand National is expected to generate a further £3 million in tax revenues for the Treasury and £2 million via the horse racing levy to support the sport.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. The Betting and Gaming Council is the standards body representing the regulated betting and gaming industry and is committed to driving change and promoting safer gambling.
2. Betting is a hugely popular British leisure activity. Each month, around 22.5 million adults in the Britain place a bet—whether it’s buying a lottery ticket, playing bingo, visiting a casino, playing online, or wagering on football, horseracing, or other sports—and the overwhelming majority do so perfectly safely and responsibly.
3. BGC members support 110,000 jobs, generate £4.2bn in tax and contribute £7.1bn to the economy in gross value added.
4. The Grand National occurs on Saturday 13th April 2024 at 4pm.
5. The latest figures released by the BGC (August 2023) show that BGC members directly contributed c. £350 million to British horseracing in 2022 in levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.
6. In addition, bookmakers spend £125 million each year on marketing to promote racing and betting through advertisements and partnerships. This helps secure terrestrial coverage of the sport, supports two racing channels, and raises revenue for print newspaper titles.
