Betting and Gaming Council Members to continue to donate profits from Britannia Stakes

Royal Ascot is just one week away, and it has been confirmed that Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) members will continue to donate their profits from the Britannia Stakes to six separate charities.

The charities that will benefit include Ascot Racecourse’s own Ascot Racecourse Supports. Ascot Racecourse Supports… was launched in 2017 and brings all of their charity work and community engagement under one umbrella. Its goals are to support small, local charities and community groups with a focus on children and mental health issues, in addition to equine charities.

Participating bookmakers will donate all profits generated from the race once levy and duties have been deducted. Any bookmakers that do not make a profit will make a combined donation of £250,000, to be split amongst 2023’s chosen charities.

Alongside Ascot Racecourse Supports…, the charities for 2023 are SportsAid, the Holocaust Educational Trust, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, SAS Regimental Association and Together for Looked After Children.

Launched in 2020, the initiative raised £1.2m for charity last year and Flutter Entertainment (Paddy Power, Betfair, Sky Bet), Bet365, Entain (Ladbrokes and Coral), 888 William Hill, Kindred (Unibet), Betway, Rank Group (Grosvenor Sport), Virgin Bet, Tote, LivescoreBet, Fitzdares and Bet with Ascot are all committed this year.

BGC Chief Executive Michael Dugher said: “I am once again delighted that the BGC’s largest members are helping celebrate the King’s coronation by raising vital funds at the Royal Meeting for some of the country’s top charities.

“It is also a fitting tribute to the late queen, Elizabeth II, whose passion for horse racing was renowned, having bred multiple successful horses and clocking up 1,800 winners in her time.

“Tens of millions of people up and down the country enjoy a flutter each month and I’m proud that betting companies will once more donate their profits from one of Royal Ascot’s top races, the Britannia Stakes, to go towards some great charities.”

Ascot Racecourse chief executive Alastair Warwick added: “It is fantastic news that the leading bookmakers will once again be donating all profits from the Britannia Stakes to charity.

“The money raised since 2020 has been extremely well received, including by our own Ascot Racecourse Supports programme. The contributions have enabled us to support some extremely worthy causes and carry out important work in the community.”