St Leger 2026 Highlights £16.6bn UK Gambling Black Market Threat 

Today’s St Leger marks 250 years of the prestigious race, the oldest Classic in the world. Yet, the Betting and Gaming Council reminds us just how much of the money wagered on the race could be making its way to the black market. Current estimates suggest the UK’s black market was worth £16.6 billion in 2025.

More than 30,000 racegoers are expected at Doncaster today, with thousands more placing bets online.

Those placing bets with illegal gambling operators, will not see their wagers contribute to the UK in any meaningful way. These operators do not pay UK gambling taxes, contribute to the Horserace Betting Levy or purchase British racing media rights in the same way as licensed bookmakers.

For a sport that remains heavily reliant on betting revenues, that makes every pound diverted to the black market particularly significant.

British Racing Supports Around 85,000 Livelihoods

The importance of the St Leger goes well beyond Doncaster Racecourse. British horseracing supports around 85,000 livelihoods and generates roughly £4 billion for the UK economy, according to figures cited by the BGC.

That includes the people directly employed by the sport, such as trainers, jockeys, breeders and stable staff, as well as businesses that rely on racing indirectly.

Racing doesn’t just support trainers, jockeys, and stable staff, it also supports hotels, pubs, restaurants, haulage companies, feed merchants, vets and other local businesses. What’s more, much of this industry is situated in more remote areas of the UK, areas that need that funding. Betting remains one of the most important sources of that funding.

BGC members contribute more than £350 million a year to British racing through the Horserace Betting Levy, sponsorship and media rights payments. High street betting shops alone are estimated to contribute around £140 million annually.

That financial relationship helps to explain why concerns about illegal betting are especially significant.

Why the £16.6bn Estimated Hurts Racing So Much

Research commissioned by the BGC and carried out by H2 Gambling Capital estimated that £16.6 billion was wagered through the UK's illegal gambling market during 2025. What’s even more staggering is that the estimate for the total black market spend for 2019 was estimated at £5 billion.

During major race meetings like the St Leger, industry estimates suggest around £2 million is lost to the black market.

If, as the BGC has warned, the black market continues to grow further over the coming years, it could have a disastrous impact on racing.

That is because money spent with licensed bookmakers does not simply stay within the betting industry. It helps fund racecourses, prize money, media rights, sponsorship and the wider network of businesses that depend on the sport.

Illegal operators make none of those contributions. They also sit outside the Gambling Commission’s regulatory framework, meaning customers do not benefit from the same rules around safer gambling, identity checks and dispute resolution.

The contrast is particularly stark during a year in which the St Leger celebrates its 250th anniversary.

The race has survived for two and a half centuries, but the industry surrounding it has changed dramatically. Today, racing’s future is tied closely to the health of the regulated betting market.

If more gambling activity moves offshore, racing does not just lose betting revenue. It loses part of the funding structure that has helped sustain the sport, its workforce and the communities around it for generations.