PR in the Philippines

(AsiaGameHub) –   The much-discussed sponsor exodus from horse racing may not actually be coming to pass, if the most recent sponsorship deals from Betway and CopyBet are any indicator, at the very least.

In separate announcements made yesterday, Betway and CopyBet have been unveiled as official partners of The Jockey Club and Worcester Racecourse respectively for the 2026 racing calendar.

For Betway, the Super Group-owned online sportsbook will back 16 races across Newmarket, Haydock Park and Market Rasen, a package that includes its position as the official fixed odds betting partner of the Debenhams July Festival hosted at Newmarket.

Lewis Knowles, PR Manager at Betway, said: “Betway sponsors some of the largest sporting events and teams across the globe, but it is wonderful to see British racing make a well-received return to our sponsorship roster.

“We ranked among the biggest backers of racing over the last decade, with thousands of races carrying our name from 2015 right through to the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in 2024. This agreement is an incredible opportunity to align our brand with this fantastic sport once again.

“We have enjoyed great success working alongside The Jockey Club in the past, and every member of the Betway team is thrilled to bring that partnership back for 2026.”

In addition to the July Festival, Betway will sponsor Newmarket’s Craven Meeting taking place 15-17 April, the Grey Horse Raceday held on 15 August, and Cambridgeshire Friday scheduled for 25 September.

The brand will also back Haydock’s Evening and Lester Piggot Day running 29-30 May, the Evening and Old Newton Cup across 3-4 July, Rose of Lancaster Day on 8 August, the Tommy Whittle Day on 19 December and Last Fling Day on 30 December.

It will sponsor a single day of racing at Market Rasen, the Summer Plate Day held on 18 July.

Is the rift between betting firms and horse racing starting to mend?

The wide range of meetings Betway is sponsoring points to a shift in stance among operators, at least some of them, as the dust settles on the tax debates and disputes of summer 2025.

There had been widespread expectations that racing sponsorships would be axed this year, following the gambling tax increases announced by Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, last November.

Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) rose from 21% to 40% on 1 April. Ahead of this change, a number of operators including bet365, BetMGM and Entain’s Coral chose to scale back parts of their sponsorship activity, leading to predictions of difficult times ahead for racing. The new deals from Betway and CopyBet suggest this may not be the full picture.

Dan Glavin, Betting Partnerships Manager at The Jockey Club, said: “It is fantastic news that Betway is renewing its association with The Jockey Club through this exciting new partnership.

“The Betway Craven Meeting at Newmarket is the point where the new Flat turf season really hits its stride, making it the perfect time to launch this collaboration.

“Along with taking on the role of fixed odds betting partner for the prestigious Debenhams July Festival at Newmarket, Betway will also have its name linked to a significant number of high-class racedays running all the way through to the end of the year.

“Most of these racedays will be broadcast live on ITV, delivering considerable brand exposure.”

Beyond financial concerns, betting firms and racing also had a minor falling out last year to some extent. In the lead-up to November’s Autumn Budget, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and other sport stakeholders launched the #AxeTheRacingTax campaign.

This campaign included a day of strike action held on 10 September. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), which was also lobbying against tax hikes at the time, criticised this move, and it appeared a rift was opening up between the racing and betting sectors.

It is not all bad blood across the board, however, as the latest moves from Betway and CopyBet seem to indicate. For CopyBet, the firm has signed on as the official betting partner of Worcester Racecourse for the 2026 National Hunt summer season.

The company will sponsor 57 races across 19 summer jumps meetings running from 6 May to 21 October. This package includes naming rights to the Fixed Brush Series Final, with CopyBet branding set to be displayed across the entire racecourse site.

Michael Thomas, Worcester Racecourse General Manager, said: “Ahead of another exciting summer of National Hunt action, we are thrilled to welcome CopyBet as our Official Betting Partner, supporting us to deliver another packed schedule of high-quality race days on the banks of the River Severn.”

This agreement adds to CopyBet’s existing racing sponsorship portfolio, which already includes partnerships with Carlisle, Exeter, Haydock, Huntington and Kempton, plus a brand ambassador deal with Irish jockey Jonathan Burke.

“We’re delighted to team up with Worcester Racecourse as its official betting partner,” said Mark Smith, Managing Director of CopyBet UK. “British horse racing is set to be a core part of another incredible summer of sport in the UK, and we are proud to continue supporting one of the nation’s most popular sports.”

The racing sector came out of last year’s budget announcement in a relatively strong position, having been exempted from the RGD increase and next year’s planned rise in General Betting Duty (GBD) from 15% to 25%.

A knock-on impact on racing is still anticipated, however, as a result of the previously mentioned marketing cutbacks. While Betway and CopyBet have not joined the exodus of sponsors, other operators still plan to limit their presence in racing, meaning the sport requires all the financial support it can secure.