The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has released the first quarterly racing report of 2025, revealing a mix of positive developments and concerning trends in the sport of horseracing.
The report is part of a two-year pilot project for race scheduling aimed at making the sport more attractive to existing and potential fans.
Compared to the same period last year, jump racing showed encouraging signs with increased competitiveness.
The average number of participants in Jump Core Fixtures slightly increased from 7.85 to 7.93, while the average number of participants in Jump Premier Fixtures significantly increased from 9.29 to 9.63.
Despite an addition of 42 jump races in the first quarter of 2025 compared to 2024, these improvements were achieved.
In contrast, flat racing saw a decrease in participation size, with the average number of participants in core flat racing events dropping to 8.62 from last year's 8.82.
The report suggests that this decline may be partly due to the six Sunday evening races trialed last year, which typically attract more spectators due to higher prizes.
Particularly concerning is the 9% decrease in total betting turnover compared to the first quarter of 2024. Analysis indicates that customer conditions are changing, with the average turnover per race in core events decreasing by 14.4%, while turnover in top-tier events remained stable.
This suggests that while the number of casual gamblers has increased, customers who bet larger amounts might be reducing their bets or shifting to unlicensed operators to avoid regulatory scrutiny.
Attendance at racecourses slightly declined from 682,385 to 666,069, a reduction of about 16,000 people, mainly attributed to the timing of Easter and a decrease of about 11,000 attendees at the Cheltenham Festival.
The total prize money also decreased by £1.5 million ($2 million), dropping to £32.4 million, with jump racing prize money increasing by £1.5 million and flat racing prize money decreasing by £3 million.
The number of horses continued to decline, dropping by 1.9% to 15,070, although the number of high-rated jump horses (aged 135 and above) increased from 288 to 307.
These mixed results come against the backdrop of growing concerns about the unlicensed gambling market, with a report earlier this year from the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities showing that independent visits to illegal horseracing betting sites in the UK increased by 522% from 2021 to 2024.
