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bet365’s UK racing sponsorship ends over rising taxes
bet365 has confirmed that it will end its horse racing sponsorship as a result of the tax increases in the UK.
The sponsorship between bet365 and the Craven Meeting at Newmarket began back in 2017, but now Newmarket is expected to face huge structural issues, as the operator has declined to renew the partnership. The decision also extends to Newmarket’s July Festival, as the operator will stop the collaboration after the 2026 season.
The Old Newton Cup and the Lancashire Oaks at Haydon Park will also lose their primary branding from bet365 after 23 years of support.
The horse races are now looking for replacement funding after bet365 chose to prioritize margin protection by exiting from heritage marketing.
A Bet365 spokesperson stated:
“Regretfully, bet365 has made the very difficult decision not to continue sponsorship of a number of horse racing events, including the Craven meeting at Newmarket, the July meeting at Newmarket, and the Old Newton Cup-Lancashire Oaks at Haydock.”
The operator called the exit a necessity, noting a change in commercial goals as the gambling industry is trying to deal with the increasing remote gaming duty and the strict regulatory framework.
Despite these changes, UK horse racing has seen an increase in physical attendance, as in 2025, total attendance reached 5 million for the first time since 2019.
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