Racing Post analysis: UK bookmaker horse racing sponsorship down 17% as gambling taxes rise

Bookmaker sponsorship of British horse racing has dropped markedly in 2026, according to analysis by the Racing Post. The decline follows the tax changes announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget, which raised Remote Gaming Duty from 21% to 40% and General Betting Duty from 15% to 25%. The RGD increase took effect in April 2026, while the GBD rise is due in April 2027.

Overall, bookmaker sponsorship in the sport fell by 17% year on year. The cuts were most visible in lower-value races. Bookmakers sponsored 29% of races worth under £10,000 between 1 January and 28 September 2026, down from 37.3% in the same period of 2025. Races worth £10,000-£20,000 saw a 3.7% decline to 27.3%. At the top end, bookmakers kept a strong presence: the share of £50,000-£100,000 races rose 3.6% to 48.6%, and races worth more than £100,000 dipped only 1% to 47.3%.

By format, all-weather racing was hit hardest, with the bookmaker share falling from 73.3% to 58.2%. Jumps racing recorded a drop of 5.5%, while flat turf racing rose by 0.1%. The analysis suggests UK-focused operators have shifted attention toward football, which has a larger audience.

Among individual operators, bet365, Betfred and Flutter Entertainment each reduced their sponsorship contributions to British racing by more than 15%. JenningsBet cut back by 33%, while Star Sports and BetGoodwin reduced their marketing spend in the sport by over 80%. Notable withdrawals include Coral ending its 52-year sponsorship of the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, and bet365 dropping its backing of the July and Craven meetings at Newmarket, the Old Newton Cup and the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock. Betfred has also withdrawn its headline sponsorship of rugby league's Super League.

Racing faces further uncertainty from a rumoured doubling of Machine Games Duty. Betfred founder Fred Done has said that, if it is implemented, the company would curtail its sponsorship of the British Classics. JenningsBet CEO Greg Knight has been a vocal opponent of the potential increase.

The sport is also trying to build its audience and commercial appeal. This week Racecourse Media Group appointed former CNN executive Andrew Demaria as its first Chief Content Officer, tasked with driving audience engagement and commercial performance. Racing continues to cite a weak appeal to younger audiences and the growth of the black market as additional pressures alongside taxation.