New BHA Chair Simon Cox Urged To Foster Stronger Ties With Bookies

Simon Cox has been advised that resetting horseracing’s relationship with the bookies should be a priority. Officially starting as the new permanent British Horseracing Authority (BHA) Chair today, it is hoped Cox will provide an uplift following Lord Charles Allen’s resignation in March.

Political and structural tensions have surfaced over the past few months at the BHA. However, Cox is expected to hit the ground running as he confronts racing’s ongoing challenges.

What does Cox’s in-tray look like?

After being confirmed as the new BHA Chair on July 22, Cox prepared in advance of his first day by having conversations with different representatives of the sport. In trying to move away from a short-term commercial focus, Cox will need to figure out how to open racing to a younger demographic.

The ongoing effects of affordability checks have also been highlighted as a pressing issue. Earlier this summer, the BHA called for talks with the UK’s gambling minister, Vicky Foxcroft, after previously feeling aggrieved over being sidelined following the rollout of the controversial policy by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).

In addition, evaluating the programme book has been identified as significant by industry experts, who insist the sport should ‘incentivise people to be aspirational’ and buy horses in the country. But making retail betting more competitive is also in Cox’s in-tray, and Cox has been warned his position is more like a ‘10-day-a-week job’.

Countdown to the budget

Inevitably, the upcoming budget could dictate Cox’s plans for racing. In the run-up to the budget last November, racing lobbied to the government to spare them from the tax hikes. They were given a reprieve as the then-Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced racing would remain taxed at 15%, but in April 2027, general betting duty paid on online sports bets will climb from 15% to 25%.

Rumours have mounted that the Chancellor, John Healey, could raise Machine Games Duty (MGD) on category B machines to 40% of net takings. Recent industry modelling indicates the grave consequences of such an uptick, which could see 16,000 jobs put at risk, while reducing the sector’s contribution to racing through levy and media rights by £70 million.

Reversing the high street decline

It’s fair to assert that the betting industry has taken a bit of pummelling. There have been mass shop closures, with Betfred, Paddy Power, and William Hill all cutting back on their vast retail estates to absorb the impact of steep tax rises.

Racing hasn’t been immune either, with stats highlighting that over-the-counter turnover in betting shops declined by 3.65% to £2.9 billion in the 12 months up to March 2026. More worryingly, the number of retail betting locations dropped from 7,834 in June 2020 across the UK and Ireland to 6,167 in June this year.

Putting the bookies back in the frame

Given the challenges facing bookies, Cox needs to tackle this issue quickly. That is according to Simon Clare, Entain’s group director of consumer PR and a member of the BHA’s jumps pattern committee.

He said:

“Racing needs strong, confident leadership right now — someone who can bring people together but also champion the sport and speak up for everything that is great about British racing.

“Racing and betting are both facing significant headwinds, but our two industries are interdependent, and I’d urge Simon to continue to embrace a constructive relationship with bookies. Racing and betting are stronger together than apart and ultimately share many of the same challenges and the same customers.”