Earlier in the week, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), announced it would launch the fourth trainer and stable staff survey as a means of identifying yard-based problems and assisting the Industry People Board. 

Now, the authority whose goal is to build “a brighter future for our sport, our horses, and our people” has announced a series of changes to the start rules in British racing. The changes were given the green light after a comprehensive review of all stalls and starting procedures over the course of an entire year. 

Late Load Requests, Now Restricted 

One of the first changes to go into effect starting January 1, 2024, regards Late Load Requests. These represent privilege requests on race day issued by trainers for their horses to be loaded out of sequence.

According to the new tweaks, Late Load Requests have been restricted to horses that have shown signs of behavioral issues inside the starting stalls in previous races in Great Britain. 

At the same time, horses having their debut will no longer be eligible for a Late Load Request unless they have undertaken an assessment prior to the race which has indicated the existence of a behavioral concern inside the starting stalls.

Additionally, the rules regarding warnings for Late Load Requests and Stalls Tests have also suffered adjustments. 

For example, once a trainer has been given three warnings for the same horse in relation to behavioral issues inside the stalls within a one-year period, the horse will be asked to complete one Stalls Test instead of the standard requirement of two. 

Any additional Late Load Request for the respective horse will not lead to any more warnings over the course of the following 12 months, as opposed to the current rules that refer to the current lifetime late load.

The goal is to lower the number of Late Load Requests while improving the safety and fairness of the Start and making sure horses that do not have any behavioral issues are not in any way disadvantaged.

Loading Process Changes

Also effective starting January 2024, the process of twitching or grabbing the ear or tail of a horse during the loading process will only be allowed for safety purposes. 

This could be anything like gently holding the ear of the horse to help relax, placating a nervous or fractious horse during the loading, or ensuring the welfare of stalls, jockeys, or horses by helping settle unruly horses in the stalls.

Provided Stewards rule these actions as going well beyond what is deemed “necessary for the purposes of safety and horse welfare,” they will have the right to issue cautions for first offenses, followed by Band A fines for subsequent offenses.

Additional changes refer to BHA starters who will no longer be allowed to carry the hunting crop during jump-starts and also the requirement that all persons assisting at the start complete the BHA Trainer Representative – Starts Training Module. 

In May, BHA announced it would strengthen its board membership with two new independent non-executive directors, Kyrsten Halley and Tara Warren.

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Members of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) have poured £455 million ($581 million) into British horseracing in 2021, in the form of sponsorship agreements, levies, and media rights, according to fresh data from the council. 

BGC Members Now Paying More “Than Ever Before” 

According to the BGC’s chief executive officer, Michael Dugher, members of the council are currently showing more financial support than ever before towards British horseracing. This is in spite of the 10.3% drop in betting turnover on racing recorded over the past five years.

Dugher acknowledged horseracing as a leading British sport with millions of fans worldwide as well as a “vital pillar of the economy” with importance to a large number of communities and the tens of thousands of jobs that it currently supports.

Going further, the CEO spoke about the ongoing “symbiotic relationship between betting and racing,” explaining that the duo’s success and future prosperity can only come by working together towards a shared growth goal aimed at the sport “as a product.”

Dugher also explained that the funding from BGC members only originates from licensed bookmakers interested in making sure that racing not only survives but also thrives, mentioning that the unsafe black gambling market continues to grow as a threat while not making any contributions to horseracing.

Bookmakers also spent £125 million ($159 million) on marketing aimed at promoting racing and betting via partnership deals and advertisements, further supporting the terrestrial coverage of the popular sport via two different racing channels and newspaper appearances.

Media rights payments surpassed prior estimates, going up by close to £45 million ($57 million) compared to 2022 when the total reached £340 million ($434 million).

Levy payments are expected to reach £99 million ($126 million) for 2022/2023, signaling a raise from £50 million ($63 million) recorded in the year 2016/2017, according to data from the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

The record 2022 investment allowed horseracing to use some of the revenues to reach a new record in relation to the delivered prize money, a figure that totaled £179.3 million ($228.9 million).

Second to soccer, horseracing is the second most popular sport in the UK. Each year, it gathers over five million people attending approximately 1,400 fixtures spread across 59 different racecourses.

In mid-July, the BGC expressed its support for the White Paper reforms revealed in April while advocating for responsible gambling. In March, the Council reported an increase in the use of safer gambling tools.

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Initiated by the BC Lottery Corporation, this is a significant step up in the efforts to ensure that consumers are protected. Moving forward, the only way to enter casinos in the province would be by providing a government-issued identification. This way, the onus would be on land-based properties to ensure that people who enter are not self-excluded or under the legal gambling age.

Using Automated ID Checks to Keep Consumers Safe

The measure is expected to be officially introduced this summer, and more details will be forthcoming as the final implementation date is being debated but will be here before August in all likelihood. Casinos will have to do some catching up to do as they would have to ensure that they have the necessary software to check against a database of self-excluded players in the province.

All IDs will be scanned by security staff prior to admission to casino properties with the system automatically referencing a patron’s identity against the Game Break self-exclusion program. Although some concerns about privacy have been raised, the system does not store any personal data to speak of, so consumers will be able to pass this check without any concern.

According to the regulator, this is a way towards paving the way for an industry that has the healthiest players in the world, and the quick and reliable verification against the self-exclusion program is a great way to achieve this. These automated ID scans are also the best way to ensure that no underage or self-excluded individual would be able to enter the premises of a casino.

Building the World’s Healthiest Player Base

IDs in casinos in British Columbia have always been required, as they are needed to verify identity when claiming winnings or withdrawing jackpots. Regardless, the new system is expected to improve who gets on the casino floor and still be unobtrusive enough for consumers to not be turned away or scared by identity checks.

Game Break is not without its potential faults and exploits, however. Similar self-exclusion programs have been abused in the past. GAMSTOP in the United Kingdom, for example, could be tinkered with if a person would re-enter information about themselves, thus confusing self-exclusion algorithms and fooling automated checks.

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Over 40 British MPs from both sides of the House have demonstrated their support for the Betting and Gaming Council’s Charity Bet Campaign. To that end, they visited local betting shops to place a BGC Charity Bet on the Grand National race.

The BGC said that parliamentary participants include Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison MP, Shadow DCMS Minister Alex Davies-Jones MP, Minister for Enterprise Kevin Hollinrake, COP26 President Alok Sharma MP, Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, former Labour Cabinet Minister John Spellar, former DCMS Minister Caroline Dinenage MP and Shadow Apprenticeships Minister Toby Perkins, among others.

As reported by the BGC, the MPs wagered £50 to back a participant in one of the most popular steeplechase events in the world. As per the campaign, all the winnings will go toward a charity picked by the bettors.

In the case an MP’s horse doesn’t win, the BGC promised to donate £250 to the charity chosen by the politician, ensuring that the cause will receive funding.

The BGC hosts this charity initiative each year. Last year’s edition, for example, raised around £11,000 ($13,800) for a range of charity organizations.

The Event Will Attract Millions of Bettors

The annual race at Aintree, Liverpool, is the most popular horseracing event in the world. This year’s edition is scheduled for April 15 and will be watched by an estimated 600 million people across 140 countries. The BGC estimates bets from at least 13 million UK adults.

Furthermore, the commission predicts that around $313 million will be staked on the main event. This will translate into $3.7 million in tax revenues and $2.5 million in horse racing levy which will support the sector.

Michael Dugher, the BGC’s chief executive officer, commented on the matter, saying that the highly-anticipated Grand National event will welcome millions of sports fans and bettors. He noted that betting is a huge source of jobs and revenue in the United Kingdom. In addition, Dugher said that betting shops provide a community to countless betting aficionados.

Dugher thanked all the MPs who participated in the charity campaign:

I also want to say a huge thanks to the MPs who have made the time and effort to meet with their local constituents working in high street shops, for backing 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.

Michael Dugher, CEO, BGC

In other news, the BGC recently said that it may support the proposed RET levy if land-based operators are protected.

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