Coral Ends Cheltenham Festival Sponsorship After More Than 50 Years
The bookmaker has withdrawn support for the Coral Cup, citing the impact of recent UK gambling tax changes on its commercial strategy.
The Cheltenham Festival is set to lose its longest-standing race sponsor after Coral confirmed it will end its backing of the Coral Cup ahead of this year’s meeting.
Coral has been associated with the Festival since 1974, originally sponsoring the Coral Golden Hurdle before lending its name to the Coral Cup following the race’s introduction in 1993. The decision marks the end of more than five decades of sponsorship at one of British racing’s most prestigious events.
The Coral Cup has long been regarded as one of the Festival’s most competitive betting races, with Dan Skelton-trained Langer Dan making history by winning the contest in both 2023 and 2024. Coral, part of Entain alongside Ladbrokes, remains a major supporter of British racing, with its sponsorship portfolio including the long-running Coral-Eclipse Stakes.
The withdrawal comes against the backdrop of significant changes to the UK gambling tax regime. In the November Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed an increase in Remote Gaming Duty from 21% to 40% from April 2026. While horse racing avoided a direct rise in betting duty, the wider tax reforms affecting online gambling and sports betting are set to reshape operator economics across the sector.
Explaining the decision, Entain UK consumer PR director Simon Clare said: “It is with some sadness that we are today announcing that Coral will not be continuing with its sponsorship of The Coral Cup.
“Coral has been the longest-running sponsor at the Cheltenham Festival since 1974, but the sheer size of the Government’s recent tax increase on betting operators means we are having to take very difficult decisions as we look to mitigate some of the huge impact, none more difficult or regrettable than bringing our sponsorship at Cheltenham to an end.”
The move is likely to intensify debate within the racing industry over the indirect consequences of the UK’s evolving gambling tax framework. While racing has been spared an immediate increase in betting duty, the financial pressure on operators appears to be influencing investment decisions across sponsorship, marketing and partnerships.
Coral’s departure from the Coral Cup could therefore be seen as an early signal of broader structural changes in the relationship between bookmakers and British racing, as operators reassess their commitments in a higher-tax environment.
