Black market bookies to take half a billion in bets during jump season

£10m is expected to be staked with illegal gambling operators at this weekend’s Cheltenham meeting

An estimated £500m is forecast to be wagered with illegal gambling operators during Britain’s National Hunt season, as the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) warns of the growing threat posed by the criminal black market to British racing and its fans. 

The warning comes ahead of this weekend’s Cheltenham November Meeting, one of the biggest fixtures of the early jump racing season, where £10m is expected to be staked with illegal gambling operators across the three-day festival. 

Running from October through to April, the National Hunt season features some of Britain’s most prestigious racing fixtures, including the King George VI Chase at Kempton, the Cheltenham Festival in March and the Grand National at Aintree in April. 

The figures come ahead of Safer Gambling Week, which runs from 16 to 22 November, when the regulated betting and gaming industry will highlight the tools, support and protections available to customers. 

But while licensed operators must comply with strict regulatory standards, including age-verification checks, anti-money laundering requirements and safer gambling measures, illegal gambling websites operate outside UK regulation, offering none of these protections. 

Unlike licensed bookmakers, black market operators also pay no UK tax and make no contribution to British horseracing, despite seeking to profit from the sport’s biggest events. 

Independent analysis by WARC found unregulated operators now account for almost half of all UK gambling advertising spend, while forecasts from H2 Gambling Capital estimate the amount staked with illegal operators could grow from £17bn in 2026 to more than £33bn by 2028. 

Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “Britain’s National Hunt season is one of the highlights of our sporting calendar, but criminal gambling operators are also looking to cash in, with £500m expected to be staked on the illegal black market. 

“These operators contribute nothing to British racing, pay no UK tax and offer none of the vital protections customers expect from licensed bookmakers. We will continue to work closely with the Government and the Gambling Commission to tackle the illegal black market, protect customers and ensure British racing continues to benefit from a strong, well-regulated betting industry.” 

The regulated betting and gaming sector supports 109,000 jobs, contributes £6.8bn to the UK economy and generates more than £4bn in tax revenues annually, while BGC members contribute more than £350m each year to British horseracing.