Horserace Betting Levy Board Appoints Veterinary Ethics Professor to Board
Madeleine Campbell joins as government-approved member amid regulatory change.
The UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed the appointment of Madeleine Campbell as a new board member of the Horserace Betting Levy Board, strengthening the board’s expertise in animal welfare and ethics.
Campbell’s four-year term began on 1 January 2026 and will run until 31 December 2029. The appointment was made with the approval of Lisa Nandy, secretary of state for culture, media and sport.
An established authority in animal welfare science, ethics and law, Campbell currently serves as professor of veterinary ethics at the University of Nottingham. Her career spans academia, regulation and advisory roles across multiple equestrian and racing-related bodies.
She chairs the British Equestrian Federation’s Ethics and Welfare Advisory Group and the Greyhound Board of Great Britain’s Welfare and Veterinary Standing Committee. Campbell is also an independent member of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports Welfare and Ethics Advisory Group and previously served on the British Horseracing Authority ethics panel.
Appointment comes amid wider regulatory shifts
Campbell’s addition to the Levy Board comes during a period of significant regulatory change across UK gambling and betting, with new rules, levies and tax reforms reshaping the landscape.
In late November, the government announced changes to gambling taxation that will see remote general betting duty increase from 15% to 25% in April 2027. Remote gaming duty is also set to rise sharply, from 21% to 40%, in April 2026. The proposals prompted strong opposition from operators, with concerns raised over the impact on retail betting, market sustainability and the potential growth of illegal gambling activity.
The statutory levy introduced in April 2025 has also altered the funding structure for gambling harm prevention. The levy applies to all UK-licensed operators, with contribution rates varying by licence type. During its first nine months, the scheme generated £120m, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport later confirming how funds would be allocated across research, prevention and treatment initiatives.
Further regulatory adjustments take effect this month, with new promotional rules coming into force on 19 January. These include a ban on cross-selling promotions between gambling verticals, alongside wider measures aimed at simplifying offers and improving consumer protection, overseen by the UK Gambling Commission.
Against this backdrop, Campbell’s appointment adds specialist welfare and ethics expertise to the Horserace Betting Levy Board as it continues to operate at the intersection of racing, regulation and public policy.
