Key points:
- The BGC's Britannia Stakes initiative raised £450,000 for seven charities through donated betting profits from member companies
- This marks the sixth year of the program, bringing total Britannia Stakes charitable contributions to over £3.6m since inception
A total of £450,000 ($612,000) has been donated to UK charities following this year’s Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, as Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) members once again pledged all profits from the race to good causes.
This marks the sixth consecutive year of the BGC’s Britannia Stakes initiative, which has now raised over £3.6m through this annual effort alone.
The 2025 running of the race saw champion jockey Oisin Murphy ride Arabian Story to victory.
Despite five favourites winning on the day – a financial challenge for bookmakers – the Britannia Stakes delivered a welcome outcome for charities. After duties and levies, all remaining profit from win and each-way bets was donated.
The funds will be distributed among seven beneficiaries: Prostate Cancer UK, Missing People, the SAS Regimental Association, Ascot Racecourse Supports, Racing to School, Greenhouse Sports and Tempus Novo.
Good to know: Participating BGC members included Flutter, Entain, Evoke, Kindred, Betway, Rank Group, Virgin Bet, LivescoreBet, Star Sports and QuinnBet, with additional support from Tote and Bet with Ascot
Commenting on the initiative, Grainne Hurst, CEO of the BGC, stated: “It’s brilliant to see BGC members once again coming together to support such a wide range of charities that make a real difference in communities right across the UK.
"A huge thank you goes to all our members who took part, their customers who placed a bet on the Britannia Stakes and of course to Ascot for their continued partnership in this important initiative.
"Together, we've now raised over £3.6m through the Britannia Stakes alone, and more than £6.5m overall. These substantial donations highlight the real commitment of the BGC and its members to supporting charities across sport, racing, health and the veteran community.”
