BGC warns: millions wagered on the Grand National illegally

• 2025 Grand National said to generate £9.4m ($12.11m) in black market betting handle
• The BGC estimates the total amount bet on the event will be £250m ($322m)
• As much as £335m ($431m) could be lost in tax over five years due to black market operations

The 2025 Grand National that took place on Saturday, April 5, 2025, is one of the pinnacles of horse racing. To determine the popularity of a sport, you may be tempted to look at the black market betting activity that surrounds it, which the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has argued in a new update is going to reach £9.4m ($12.11m)

About 4% of the total betting handle on the 2025 Grand National may come from black market operators

The BGC provided additional insight into the popularity of the Aintree Racecourse-hosted event, with the trade body estimating that 600m across 140 countries tuned in to watch the race. At least 13m adults in the United Kingdom alone will be placing a wager on the outcome of the event as well.

Furthermore, the BGC argues that as much as £250m ($322m) will be bet on the main event, meaning that around 4% of the total betting handle will be placed with websites that are not licensed to operate in the country where a person resides, presumably the United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom alone, a total of £4.3bn ($5.53bn) is placed through black market websites according to another survey the BGC produced earlier. Commenting on the Grand National, BGC CEO Grainne Hurst called on the government to take these developments into consideration.

"This should serve as a wake-up call for Government who must guard against overbearing regulations which risk driving punters into the arms of illegal operators. Balanced regulations and a stable tax regime are the best defences against this black market menace, which now poses an existential threat to British racing."

Based on the previously cited research, one in five people in the age group 18-24 are already turning to what the BGC describes as the "unsafe, unregulated" black market to gamble online, and if anything, this has an exact value to the state, other than the implied social harm.

BGC reminds lawmakers about missed tax opportunities

The Treasury, says the BGC may be losing as much as £335m ($431m) over a five-year period in unpaid tax that was placed with operators that are not obligated to levy their wagers in the United Kingdom, and thus deprive the state from proceedings.

The BGC also took a look at the most popular racing websites visited by British punters between August 2021 and September 2024, identifying 22 operators.

While the trade group has called for stiffer measures against the black market sector, both online and offline, the BGC also reminded that its members supported more than 109,000 jobs and generated £6.8bn($8.76bn) for the economy, plus contributing £4bn ($5.15bn).

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