BGC to Sponsor Leicester Racecourse Veterans’ Day 2024

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has confirmed that it will sponsor the upcoming Leicester Racecourse Veterans’ Day, which raises vital funds for a host of military charities.

The third Leicester Racecourse Veterans’ Day will be held on March 8 next year. Each race on the day is sponsored by a partner who makes a contribution to a military charity with a connection to Leicester.

Invitations are extended to veterans, who will be featured as honoured guests at the event.

Over the past years, BGC members have collectively donated nearly £750,000 ($931,747) to armed forces charities.

The beneficiaries of these contributions include The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, SAS Regimental Association, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the RAF Benevolent Fund.

These donations are typically made following events like the Britannia Stakes race at Royal Ascot, with BGC members either donating their profits or making direct contributions.

Betting and Gaming Council CEO Michael Dugher said: “We are proud to confirm our support for this wonderful event once again. Raising money for military charities is in the BGC’s DNA, we have done it from Day One, and I’m delighted we can confirm that support will continue next year. Veterans’ Day at Leicester Racecourse is a fantastic event for ex-service personnel and raises significant funds for a host of worthy charities. It is an honour to back this fantastic event which does so much good for our veteran community.”

The BGC’s support for this cause aligns with its broader contributions to British horse racing. BGC members collectively contributed £455m to British horse racing in 2022.

According to the BGC, the standards body represents over 90% of the UK’s regulated betting and gaming industry, while BGC members are reported to have supported 110,000 jobs and contributed £7.1bn to the national economy.