BGC aims to top record with annual Grand National charity bet

The Betting and Gaming Council will repeat its initiative, which invites MPs to place bets.

UK.- The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has launched its annual Grand National charity bet campaign for the 2024 race. The industry lobby group will invite more than 50 MPs from different parties to place bets at local betting shops, up from 40 MPs last year.

Once again, participating MPs will be given £50 to bet on a winner of the Grand National steeplechase on Saturday, April 13. Any winnings will be donated to a charity of their choice. 

The BGC says it aims to beat last year’s donation. It now says that last year’s initiative raised just under £11,000. At the time, it had said that £13,500 was raised when factoring in £250 donations that it made for the MPs whose bets were not successful.

The BGC noted that the Grand National is a global event watched by around 600 million people across 140 countries. It estimates that 13 million adults in the UK place a bet on the event. It took the opportunity to note that betting shops support 42,000 jobs on UK high streets, contribute £800m a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60m in business rates to local councils.

Betting and Gaming Council CEO Michael Dugher said, “Millions of us from all different backgrounds will once again come together to watch the Grand National and have a flutter on the world’s most famous horserace. It is an occasion like no other and demonstrates once again sport’s unique ability to bring the whole nation together. Betting shops support tens of thousands of jobs, generate vital revenue for the UK’s hard-pressed high streets, and support the national and local economies through tax and business rates. They also provide a vital community for millions of betting and gaming fans.”

He added: “I also want to say a huge thanks to the many MPs who have made the time and effort to meet with their local constituents working in high-street shops; for supporting so many good causes and local charities and for promoting the Grand National, which remains one of Britain’s biggest and best cultural and sporting events seen around the world.”