The British Horseracing Authority is expressing confidence that horse racing occupies a uniquely protected position when it comes to gambling advertising scrutiny in the UK.
While gambling reform advocates have long pushed for an end to betting sponsorship and marketing in English football, racing’s leadership believe their sport is viewed very differently by parliament.
Greg Swift, the BHA’s Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, made the comments at a British Horseracing Authority press event held this week.
Swift was unambiguous in his assessment, stating: “There is a very clear recognition in parliament, even among those who have a view about gambling advertising, that racing is a very distinct market.”
He went further, adding: “There is nobody advocating for that [a restriction on advertising in relation to racing], even those people who are opposed to gambling advertising.”
Swift also noted that the current approach “addresses concerns around advertising, but also that migration and growth in the black market,” highlighting the broader regulatory thinking behind racing’s protected status.
Affordability checks remain a far more contentious issue for the sport, sitting alongside operator pushback against the Treasury’s new tax regime as one of the defining regulatory debates of 2026.
Racing did escape the worst of last year’s tax increases, partly due to the BHA’s high-profile #AxeTheRacingTax campaign, though that campaign created friction with the betting sector when a strike was organised on 11 September.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves ultimately chose not to impose direct tax increases on racing, though the sport will still feel indirect effects as operators cut marketing budgets in response to the broader tax framework.
Prominent operators including bet365 and Entain have already made cutbacks this year, though some companies such as Betway have continued to announce new sponsorship deals with the sport.
Advertising revenue and sponsorship deals are especially important right now, given that racing attendances surpassed five million in 2025 for the first time since 2019, according to the BHA’s own figures.
The sport endured a difficult stretch between 2019 and 2025, with the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 causing significant damage to in-person attendance numbers across the industry.
Beyond advertising, racing’s financial model relies heavily on sponsorship income, media rights payments, and the horse racing betting levy, making any future cuts to betting sponsorship particularly damaging.
Swift underscored racing’s political reach when making the case for the sport’s importance, saying: “There are 59 racecourse MPs. For starters, all of whose constituencies will be impacted by this decision. Then you throw in the training centres, then you throw in every other part of the country.”
Key racing organisations including the Jockey Club, Arena Racecourse Company, and the Racecourse Association all share a strong interest in maintaining the advertising landscape that currently supports the sport’s recovery.
