'I don't know how people are going to survive': bookmakers fear for the future

Leading on-course bookmakers have said they fear for the future of the profession in light of Tuesday's news that spectators may not be permitted to return to British racecourses for up to six months – with one predicting as many as a third could go out of business.

The coronavirus pandemic has already had a significant impact on bookmakers, who had hoped crowds could start returning from October 1 after pilot events at Doncaster and Warwick. A limited number are still allowed to operate at behind-closed-doors meetings to accept bets from owners.

"I don't know how people are going to survive if they depend on bookmaking as their sole source of income," said John May, who runs Jack Adams Bookmakers, founded more than 100 years ago.