As Royal Ascot concluded, leading UK bookmakers delivered their annual Britannia Stakes charity donation, with all profits from this year’s race being shared
As Royal Ascot concluded, leading UK bookmakers delivered their annual Britannia Stakes charity donation, with all profits from this year’s race being shared among a range of charities. This initiative, a long-running effort by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), has now raised over £3 million from this single race alone since its launch in 2019, contributing to a total of over £6 million from all BGC-backed campaigns, including the Grand National Charity Bet.
The Britannia Stakes charity donation is a flagship initiative where top UK bookmakers pledge race profits to good causes. In its sixth year, the 2025 edition once again saw Britain’s biggest bookmakers contribute every penny of profit from the Britannia Stakes race to a selection of UK charities. Timed with Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot, the initiative highlights the betting sector’s commitment to giving back, supporting both UK racing and the wider community. While headlines often focus on player protection and policy reform, this initiative demonstrates how the industry quietly contributes beyond turning a profit, delivering meaningful support to communities and the racing ecosystem. Bookmakers donate all profits from win and each-way bets on the Britannia Stakes, after deducting duties and levies. If the race generates no profit, they still guarantee a fallback donation of £200,000.
The 2025 edition of the initiative saw participation from Britain’s biggest bookmakers, demonstrating a collective commitment to social impact and shared responsibility across the regulated sector. The list of operators taking part included:
These brands formed a united front across the regulated sector, leveraging a high-profile racing event for charitable giving.
This year’s pledged profits will support a rotating group of UK charities, including several long-standing beneficiaries and new additions reflecting a growing trend toward education and youth-focused causes within the racing and betting sector. The selected charities for 2025 are:
Grainne Hurst, CEO of the BGC, expressed pride in the initiative, stating that the BGC and its members are “incredibly proud to have raised millions for a host of cherished good causes over the last five years, and it’s fantastic to partner with Royal Ascot once again to add to that tally.” She affirmed that “Whatever the result, charities are guaranteed to win big.” Felicity Barnard, CEO of Ascot Racecourse, also praised the initiative’s dual impact, noting that Ascot Racecourse Supports is “delighted” to be a beneficiary and that the monies raised are helping to support key community and equine legacy projects.
This annual donation is more than a gesture; it reinforces ongoing calls to protect and grow the sport amidst mounting economic pressures on racing, including challenges from the government’s proposed tax overhaul affecting British racing. Representatives from the benefiting charities also highlighted the significance of the funding. Laura Kerby, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK, stated that they are “proud to be part of this brilliant incentive, which will help fund that research towards a screening programme so we can catch prostate cancer early and save lives.” John Blake, CEO of Racing to School, added that they are “very grateful for this opportunity as horseracing’s smallest charity, working to deliver active curriculum-learning for young people nationwide.” Debbie Matthews, founder of GoRacingGreen, a single-person initiative, emphasised that such funding is “vital to expanding the work GoRacingGreen aims to achieve going forward,” highlighting the scheme’s power to transform at a grassroots level.
The Britannia Stakes charity donation remains a centerpiece of the BGC’s broader charitable strategy, serving as a visible and unifying show of industry-wide support for UK causes. Combined with support for the horse racing levy, media rights, and high-street betting jobs, the BGC continues to position its members as contributors not just to the economy but to community well-being. At a time when the regulated sector faces growing political scrutiny, the Britannia Stakes initiative demonstrates how the betting industry’s charity support enhances UK racing through more than just sponsorships or tax revenue by delivering lasting value to people and causes that need it most. The 2025 Britannia Stakes, run on Thursday, June 20, was won by Arabian Story, ridden by Oisin Murphy and trained by Saeed bin Suroor. With the race now complete, attention shifts to how this year’s donation will shape the work of its chosen beneficiaries in the months ahead. The BGC’s broader charitable strategy continues to expand, comprising a coordinated effort to make regulated betting a force for public benefit, even as the industry adapts to new rules and rising expectations.
