Top charities share bumper donation thanks to Betting and Gaming Council Britannia Stakes race
A raft of top UK charities have secured vital funding after leading British bookies handed over profits from the flagship Britannia Stakes race at Royal Ascot.
Prostate Cancer UK, Ascot Racecourse Supports, Missing People, Heros, GoRacingGreen and the Churchill Lines Foundation will now receive a share of £262,284 after Callum Rodriguez rode Mickley to victory last Thursday.
Betting and Gaming Council members Flutter (Paddy Power, Betfair, Sky Bet), Entain (Ladbrokes, Coral), Evoke (888 William Hill), Kindred (Unibet), Betway, Rank Group (Grosvenor Sport), Virgin Bet, LivescoreBet, Fitzdares, Star Sports, QuinnBet, Tote and Bet with Ascot all signed up to the fundraising initiative.
It is the fifth year the BGC has run its Britannia Stakes charity race – securing over £3m for a host of charities – thanks to our members.
The BGC have now raised over £6m for good causes since it was formed in 2019 through the Britannia Stakes and the Grand National charity bet campaigns.
Michael Dugher, CEO and Acting Chair of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “It’s fantastic news that BGC members are able to once again make such a huge donation to a range of good causes doing incredible work in communities up and down the country.
“I’d like to thank all our incredible BGC members who took part this year – as well as their customers who enjoyed a flutter on the race – and I’d like to thank Ascot for their continued support.
“Thanks to our members, the Britannia Stakes has raised over £3m in five years for a host of incredible charities, and over £6m in total for good causes.
“Those are huge sums and demonstrate just how committed the BGC and our members are to charities working in sport, racing, health and the veteran community. I know how delighted these charities will be with this vital funding, and the BGC and our members are incredibly proud to make it possible.”
Laura Kerby Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We are once again thrilled at the generosity of everyone at the Betting and Gaming Council and their betting operator members for helping fund lifesaving research and raising vital awareness about prostate cancer.
“1 in 8 men will be affected by prostate cancer, it’s the most common cancer in men, but the good news is if caught early this disease is curable.
“We’re proud to be part of this brilliant incentive, which will help fund that research towards a screening programme, so we can catch prostate cancer early and save lives. From the punters to the bookmakers and all the parties involved, we thank everyone for their continued support.”
Alastair Warwick, Chief Executive at Ascot Racecourse, said: “We are hugely grateful to the BGC and its members for once again donating this substantial amount from the Britannia Stakes to so many worthy causes.
“We are thrilled that Ascot Racecourse Supports has been included and the money will be used to help us develop our community programme and support those most in need around the local area.”
Grace Muir, Founder and CEO of HEROS, said: “HEROS would like to say a huge thankyou to The Betting and Gaming Council for selecting us to be a beneficiary from the profits of the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot this week.
“HEROS is a place of inspiration and hope where we endeavour to facilitate progress and aspirations for all those that come to us, both horse and human. Being recognised in this way validates our belief in the power of kindness, respect and time, and will enable us to continue and grow our work securing positive outcomes for all.”
Jo Youle OBE, Chief Executive of Missing People, said: “Our heartfelt thanks to the Betting and Gaming Council, their members, and everyone who enjoyed a flutter on the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot last week.
“With 170,000 people in crisis going missing every year, this incredible donation, from such an iconic race, will aid those in crisis and help us provide specialist support to families and friends with a missing loved one."
GoRacingGreen founder Debbie Matthews, said: “As a single person run initiative, with so few resources, this funding is vital to expanding the work #GoRacingGreen aims to achieve going forward and getting more people to the races.
“An educational programme will now be developed across the Racing Industry to make them aware of the challenges people face accessing race meetings. I cannot thank the BGC enough, and as a whole community we are overwhelmingly grateful. This will change people's lives.”
Roger Lewis Chairman of the Churchill Lines Foundation (CLF) said: “The Churchill Lines Foundation, on behalf of the Special Forces Support Group, is so grateful and humbled to be a part of such generosity from the bookmaking members of the Betting and Gaming Council.
“The Unit, which is tri-service, is permanently operational, and so the inevitable demands on both those who serve as well as their families and their children are considerable. The monies raised will go directly to support immediate welfare needs within the Unit.
“This donation will make a significant difference to the lives of many people who go quietly about their business to make our lives, and the lives of countless others, safer. Thank you all so much.”
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.
Meanwhile, the entire regulated betting and gaming industry in the UK supports 110,000 jobs, generates £4.2bn in tax and contributes £7.1bn to the economy.
BGC members also help fund horseracing to the tune of £350m a year through sponsorship, media rights and the betting levy.
Each month in Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4 per cent of the adult population are problem gamblers.
