BGC’s Grand National charity drive delivers 40% YoY increase in return to good causes
More than 50 MPs placed charity bets on this year’s race, returning more than £15,000 for various organisations across the country
The Betting and Gaming Council’s (BGC) Grand National Charity Bet campaign has returned more than £15,000 for good causes following the showpiece race at Aintree.
More than 50 MPs placed a charity bet on the world’s most famous steeplechase race as part of the initiative, with all winnings being redirected to the respective MP’s chosen charity.
Each MP was handed £50 from the BGC to back a horse, with Christian Wakeford, Maria Caulfield, Justin Tomlinson, Greg Smith, Peter Aldous, Preet Gill and Liam Kerr all betting on the eventual winner, I am Maximus.
A selection of charities set to benefit from the campaign include Sir Jackie Stewart’s Race Against Dementia, Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare and The Fed, a social care provider for the Greater Manchester Jewish community.
Additionally, the BGC has confirmed that every nominated charity will receive at least £250 after the trade body’s members pledged to support organisations regardless of the outcome of the race.
The scheme saw MPs place an in-person bet in their respective constituencies, with the likes of Paddy Power, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral, Betfred and independent firms JenningsBet and Corbett Bookmakers all taking part.
This year’s charity drive raised a total of £15,115, an increase of almost 40% on last year’s returns to good causes of just under £11,000.
Michael Dugher, BGC CEO, championed the initiative as he praised retail staff and MPs for their efforts.
The former Labour MP said: “600 million people from all over the world tuned in to watch one of the best Grand Nationals ever, including millions in the UK on ITV.
“An estimated 12 million people in the UK – roughly a third of adults – enjoyed a bet on the [Grand] National, showing once again that for millions of us, having a flutter is part of our great British culture.
“I want to pay tribute to all the thousands of people who work in betting shops to help support hard-pressed high streets and local economies.
“I would like to thank all those MPs who took part for supporting so many fantastic good causes and for taking the time to visit constituents working in betting shops. We had more MPs than ever before, from right across the political divide supporting the BGC and supporting the Grand National. I would like to thank all our members for once again supporting the initiative,” he added.
Elsewhere, Dugher is set to be replaced by Entain’s Grainne Hurst in the coming months as CEO of the trade body.
Dugher will step up to replace Brigid Simmonds as BGC chair later this month, with Hurst having emerged from a “very tough, external recruitment process” as the top candidate to replace him as CEO.