The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) is once again sponsoring Leicester Racecourse’s Veterans’ Raceday, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to raising funds for military charities. Now in its third consecutive year of support, the BGC is sponsoring the main race, the BGC Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Handicap Chase, as part of the event held on March 7. Veterans will be the guests of honor for a day of racing dedicated to celebrating their service.
The BGC has a long-standing tradition of supporting military charities and honoring veterans. Over recent years, its members have contributed nearly £750,000 to Armed Forces charities, including The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, the SAS Regimental Association, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, and the RAF Benevolent Fund. These contributions have come through profits donated or fundraising initiatives tied to major racing events, such as the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Beyond direct charitable contributions, BGC members continue to play a significant role in supporting British horseracing. Through sponsorships, media rights, and the levy, members contributed approximately £350 million to the industry last year. More broadly, the regulated betting and gaming sector supports 109,000 jobs across the UK, generating £6.8 billion for the economy and contributing £4 billion in tax revenue.
The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, also known as Stanford Hall, is a key beneficiary of BGC-backed initiatives. Located near Loughborough, the state-of-the-art facility provides specialist rehabilitation for wounded, injured, and sick Armed Forces personnel.
The BGC represents more than 90% of the regulated betting and gaming industry in the UK, including bookmakers, casinos, and online operators. Each month, approximately 22.5 million adults in Britain engage in betting, with the latest NHS Health Survey for England estimating that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst, said: “On behalf of everyone at the BGC, and all our members, I’m enormously proud to once again lend our support to this excellent event for another year.
“Veterans’ Raceday provides not only a fantastic day out for our cherished veterans, but also raises vital funds to support those in the veteran community who need additional support.
“The BGC is incredibly proud to have raised such significant funds for a host of exemplary charities, which do such amazing work for those that served this nation with such distinction.
“They truly are the best of British, so we’re delighted to offer this salute to veterans.”
Richard Clowes, Leicester Racecourse Director, added: “This is the third year the BGC have supported our Veterans Day and the Racecourse is very grateful.
“We are fortunate within Leicestershire and Rutland to have stationed both the Royal Anglians close to Oakham and the Defence Animal Training Regiment with their dogs and horses at Melton Mowbray.
“Both have races named after them. We are also major recruiting areas for the Coldstream Guards and Royal Lancers and hope that we will welcome many veterans from those two regiments.”
