Racecourse Media Group will pay 6 per cent more than the previous year.

UK.- Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has reported that it will pay £117.6m to racecourses in income generated from media and data rights in 2022. That’s 6 per cent more than the £110m paid in 2021 despite a reduction in betting turnover since last summer.

RMG’s income comes from betting shops, online bookmaker’s streams, its pay TV channel, mainstream TV, data and international betting and non-betting distribution.

Chairman Roger Lewis said: “The RMG model has once again proved to be resilient and reliable – in the face of significant challenges – producing record results, and performing ahead of expectations. 

“The results are a testimony and tribute to the vision and dedication of those racecourses who came together and stuck together to create, grow, and develop the RMG business.”

Lewis will leave the board of RMG this year, after 11 years at the company. He will be succeeded by former Flutter UK and Ireland CEO, Conor Grant, in October.

RMG noted that the UK government’s review of gambling legislation had led to an increase in affordability checks, and that this has led to a “clear and material” reduction in betting turnover since early summer of last year. It sees broadening horseracing’s appeal as the best way to address this.

CEO Martin Stevenson said: “We believe that innovation is key for the business and racecourses to help grow appeal and engagement with the sport, and provide a platform to deliver growth in licence fees to racecourses and the sport in the future.

“Beyond purely providing timing, the importance of tracking is that it provides a wealth of real time data that the business can now utilise to develop new products and innovations. These include the roll-out of in-play betting on RMG’s content, currently deployed by BetVictor and William Hill, and with more bookmakers in the pipeline.

“Another key application of tracking data is to help create stimulating, insightful data – a suite of new facts and statistics – to engage our audiences and support betting markets.”

Stevenson said RMG’s Self Betting Terminals (SSBTs) could provide a new engagement tool, noting the success of the technology in retail football betting. He also mentioned the success of free-to-play games, which RMG has developed with Flutter‘s Paddy Power, and the potential of social media marketing using influencers.

He said: “With media increasingly being consumed through digital channels, driving innovation is key to growing audiences and engagement through these platforms. This approach blends well with our focus on strengthening the core capabilities which have enabled us to grow to where we are today, ensuring the business remains ready for the future.”

Earlier this year, Stevenson warned the UK government of signs that members are turning to unlicensed gambling operators. He urged the government to listen to consumers as doubts remain about the direction of the review of the 2005 Gambling Act.

ITV signs three-year deal to provide free-to-air coverage of UK horse racing

In March, ITV reached a three-year deal to exclusively broadcast free-to-air coverage of UK horse racing up to the end of 2026. The deal will include more than 100 days of live content on ITV1 and ITV4 each year, to be simulcast on ITVX. There will be a morning racing programme, The Opening Show. 

The media rights include major races such as the Grand National, the Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby.

ITV director of sport Niall Sloane said: “This deal will take us to a decade of racing on ITV and we’re delighted to be able to continue to bring to viewers well over 100 days of live coverage of this wonderful sport, including some of the most enjoyable, storied and thrilling events of each year.  

“We look forward to continuing to work with Racecourse Media Group and our other partners within racing to bring audiences the very best racing has to offer in the coming years.”

Racecourse Media Group, The Jockey Club and the British Horseracing Authority said ITV was an “excellent partner” for British racing.