BGC GRAND NATIONAL CHARITY BET RAISES OVER £20,000 FOR GOOD CAUSES AS MPs BACK CHARITIES ACROSS THE UK

Charities across the UK are celebrating a major boost thanks to the Betting and Gaming Council’s annual Grand National Charity Bet, which has raised over £20,000 for a wide range of good causes.

A total of 66 parliamentarians, including Defence Secretary Rt Hon John Healey MP and Shadow DCMS Secretary Nigel Huddleston MP, took part by placing a charity bet on this year’s race – another record-breaking year.

Under the initiative, the UK’s leading betting operators donate all winnings to the MPs’ nominated charities, with every selected organisation guaranteed at least £250.

This year’s Grand National was won by the heavily backed I Am Maximus, ridden by Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins, securing a second victory in three years and confirming his place among Aintree’s finest.

I Am Maximus was backed by a number of parliamentarians, including Nigel Huddleston MP (Con, Droitwich and Evesham), Shaun Davies MP (Lab, Telford), Kevin Hollinrake MP (Con, Thirsk and Malton), Greg Smith MP (Con, Mid Buckinghamshire), Jacob Collier MP (Lab, Burton and Uttoxeter), Christian Wakeford MP (Lab, Bury South) and the Rt Hon Mark Francois MP (Con, Rayleigh and Wickford).

In total, the campaign raised £20,025, supporting charities up and down the UK, including Ryedale Specials Families, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, St Richard’s Hospice and Dawley Town Hall CIC, amongst others.

Other MPs who took part in the Charity bet include Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean Chris Elmore MP, Shadow Exchequer Secretary James Wild MP, Deputy Chief Whip Rt Hon Sir Mark Tami MP, Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris MP, Gareth Snell MP, Esther McVey MP and former Culture Secretary Sir John Whittingdale MP.

As part of the campaign, MPs also visited betting shops in their constituencies, where they met staff and saw first-hand the range of safer gambling measures in place to support customers.

Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said:

“It’s fantastic to see so many Parliamentarians getting behind this initiative and supporting charities that make a real difference in communities up and down the country.

“The Grand National is one of the biggest moments in the sporting calendar, and this campaign is a great way of harnessing that excitement to deliver meaningful support for good causes.

“I want to thank all those who took part, and our members for continuing to back this initiative and help ensure that every participating charity benefits.”

MPs were invited to place their bets at local shops including Ladbrokes, Coral, William Hill, Betfred and Paddy Power, as part of the campaign organised by the Betting and Gaming Council, the standards body for the regulated industry.

Since the initiative began in 2022, it has now raised over £70,000 for charities across the UK.

The regulated betting and gaming industry continues to make a major contribution to the UK, supporting 109,000 jobs, generating £4bn in tax and contributing £6.8bn to the economy.