Criminal bookies are set to “exploit” a historic weekend of prestigious British horse racing for millions of pounds.
A black market bonanza is expected to see £8m staked in illegal bets over the four-day St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse as it celebrates its 250th anniversary. A whopping £2m is expected to be riding with dodgy bookies for Saturday’s St Leger Stakes race alone.
First run in 1776, the St Leger predates the Derby by four years and remains the final leg of the British Triple Crown. More than 30,000 racegoers are expected to attend on St Leger Day alone.
But while racing fans toast the quarter millennium milestone, illegal gambling operators are also expected to target customers and profit from the huge interest surrounding the meeting.
Unlike licensed betting operators, black market firms operate outside UK regulation, offer none of the safeguards and consumer protections required in the regulated sector, pay no UK tax and make no contribution to British horseracing. The warning comes as an industry body warned of growing evidence of the scale of illegal gambling in Britain.
Betting and Gaming Council boss Grainne Hurst said: “The 250th anniversary of the St Leger is an extraordinary milestone and a chance to celebrate one of the great institutions of British horseracing.
“But major sporting occasions also attract criminal gambling operators looking to exploit the excitement and interest they generate. Millions of pounds are expected to be staked with illegal operators across the St Leger meeting, with those businesses contributing nothing to racing, paying no UK tax and offering customers none of the protections that exist in the regulated market.
“Betting and racing have enjoyed a close and historic partnership for generations, with BGC members contributing more than £350m to British horseracing every year and supporting thousands of jobs and livelihoods across the sport.
“As we celebrate 250 years of the St Leger, we must also make sure the regulated market which supports British racing remains strong and competitive, while doing everything possible to stop the criminal black market gaining further ground.”