Betting & Inside Information

Well over £1 billion is gambled on British racing every year. Without punters betting on the sport owners, trainers and jockeys would be racing for stakes money only, and it is for this reason that the integrity of the sport is so important.

The BHA provides full guidance and support on the Integrity section of their website.

Betting and associated rules

Jockeys licensed by the BHA cannot bet on any horseracing whatsoever – whether in this country or overseas. Jockeys cannot receive the proceeds of any bet either. A jockey cannot go into the betting during a race meeting.

Betting Organisations

Jockeys cannot associate or communicate directly or indirectly with Betting Organisations or with any person representing a Betting Organisation unless the person in question is an owner for whom the jockey is declared to ride or through any other registered commercial agreement.

Inside Information – Acceptable Uses For Jockeys

Occasionally, jockeys are allowed to receive money or other kinds of reward for putting Inside Information into the public domain. Providing that any fee you receive is no greater than that which reasonably reflects the occasion or your status as a jockey or trainer, you can give information or express opinions on horses in races in the following ways:

• Through interviews or presentations for television or radio.
• Through interviews for the press or other legitimate news gathering organisations for publication of items like written articles, regular columns or websites.
• Through presentations to specific groups such as talks given to corporate sponsorship groups for corporate hospitality and at stable yard public days.

Other examples of acceptable uses of Inside Information by jockeys include:

• Conversations about a horse with its owner or the owner’s representative as part of your day-to-day business.
• Casual conversations about the chances of horses as long as it’s not for reward, it doesn’t happen regularly and it’s clear that the person the jockey is talking to will not use the information for corrupt betting purposes. Jockeys must bear in mind that careless talk and casual chat can get them into trouble.

Inside Information – Unacceptable Uses For Jockeys

These are just a few examples of unacceptable uses of Inside Information. If you have any doubts about other specific situations, please contact the BHA for guidance.

• Communicating Inside Information directly or indirectly to any other person, (other than the owner or owner’s representative), for any material reward, gift, favour or benefit in kind, which is not in the public domain or is not provided for in the Rules of Racing.
• Any occasion when a jockey knows or suspects that the Inside Information is likely to be used for a corrupt betting purpose.
• The repeated or systematic passing of Inside Information, to the same individual (including another jockey or another trainer), even if there is no reward, will raise suspicion that it is being used for a corrupt betting purpose.
• Jockeys must not have any involvement with tipping services and should not speak to owners about another horse they ride without the permission of that owner.

Mobile telephones & tablet devices

The use of mobile telephones and tablet devices by jockeys on racecourse property from half an hour before the advertised time of the first race until after the last race has started (what is known as the ‘Restricted Period’) is only permitted in the following circumstances:

• A jockey may make an outgoing call from his mobile telephone during the Restricted Period but only if the number of the mobile telephone has been registered with the BHA and the call is made in the ‘phone zone’.
• A jockey may check their personal mobile telephone in the ‘phone zone’ for messages including incoming text messages.

Out-going text messages, or any other form of messaging, whether inside or outside of the phone zone are not permitted.

Incoming calls are only allowed under the following circumstances:

• If the trainer is not present on the racecourse, the trainer’s representative is permitted to hand his mobile telephone to the jockey in the ‘phone zone’ so that the trainer may speak directly to the jockey.

• If a jockey has personal concerns and it is important that he/she is instantly contactable then the Clerk of the Scales, upon request and at their discretion, may authorise that the jockey’s personal mobile telephone remains switched on.

Riders must, if requested, provide full details of all calls made during racing.

RaceWise

RaceWise is an anonymous reporting line aimed at encouraging both members of the public and the racing industry to come forward with any information about wrongdoing in the sport of horse racing.

A Jockey can anonymously contact RaceWise on 08000 852 580 or via the online reporting form by clicking here.