Black market bookies eye payday from Betfred St Leger Festival

Around £8m is forecast to have been staked with illegal betting operators across the Doncaster meeting

Criminal gambling operators were expected to cash in on the historic Betfred St Leger Festival, with around £8m forecast to have been staked with illegal betting operators across the Doncaster meeting, including £2m on the St Leger itself.

The warning came as British racing marked the 250th anniversary of the St Leger, the world’s oldest Classic horse race and one of the most historic fixtures in the sporting calendar.

First run in 1776, the St Leger predates the Derby by four years and remains the final leg of the British Triple Crown. This year’s landmark running took place at Doncaster Racecourse on Saturday, with more than 30,000 racegoers expected to have attended on St Leger Day alone.

But while racing fans celebrated 250 years of one of Britain’s most famous races, illegal gambling operators were 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 came amid growing evidence of the scale of illegal gambling in Britain.

Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, 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.”

All betting operators licensed in Britain must comply with strict regulatory standards, including age-verification checks, anti-money laundering requirements and a wide range of safer gambling measures. By contrast, illegal gambling operators sit entirely outside those rules and provide no meaningful safeguards or guarantees for customers.