The economic impact of horseracing in Scotland accounted for 3,400 Scottish jobs and £306.3m of turnover in 2018, a rise from £301.2m since 2016. This includes a significant rise (35%) in the value of the economic impact from the racecourses themselves, this was partly offset by a fall in the economic impact associated with gambling (-10%). The number of jobs supported by horseracing in Scotland has remained broadly stable at 3,400 FTE jobs compared to 3,430 FTE jobs in 2016.
Impact of horseracing in Scotland
| TURNOVER | JOBS | |||||
| Direct | Secondary | Total | Direct | Secondary | Total | |
| RACECOURSES | £23.9m | £27.2m | £51.1m | 180 | 220 | 400 |
| OFF COURSE | £19.1m | £14.2m | £33.3m | 220 | 170 | 390 |
| DEVELOPMENT | £24.2m | £18.5m | £42.7m | 290 | 110 | 400 |
| GAMBLING | £116.8m | £37.7m | £154.5m | 1,390 | 590 | 1,980 |
| MEDIA | £14.1m | £10.6m | £24.7m | 160 | 70 | 230 |
| TOTAL | £198.10m | £108.20m | £306.30m | 2,240 | 1,160 | 3,400 |
Source: Horseracing Betting Levy Board (2018)
Performance of Scottish growth sectors
Based on the latest Scottish Government growth sector statistics, Scottish horseracing is performing well against other industries, and productivity is high compared to the operation of other sports facilities across Scotland. For example, the on-course activities of Scottish racecourses accounted for around 10% of the turnover of the operation of Scottish sports facilities, but only around 1% of the employment.
The economic impact of Scottish racing is larger than the Scottish radio and television industry and nearly three times that of Scotland’s computer games industry (£114.4m). The number of jobs sustained by the economic impact of Scottish racing is nearly double the number of jobs in Scotland’s oil refining and petroleum products industry.
| GROWTH SECTOR | TURNOVER | JOBS |
| Oil Refining & Petroleum Products | £755.1 | 1,750 |
| Impact of Scottish Racing | £306.3 | 3,400 |
| Radio & Television | £249.2 | 4,735 |
| Operation of Sports Facilities | £235.5 | 15,000 |
| Computer Games | £114.4 | 1,285 |
| Museum Activities | £82.7 | 4,500 |
| Music | £19.1 | 505 |
Source: Scottish Government growth sector statistics
Notes: The latest growth sector statistics cover turnover (2016) and employment (2017)
Jockeys and Trainers and Racing Staff
The table below shows the number of jockeys and trainers working in Scotland and Great Britain in 2019. There are currently sixteen jockeys in Scotland out of around 450 across Great Britain as a whole. There are currently 24 trainers in Scotland, around 4% of the total across Great Britain.
Jockeys & Trainers (2019)
| SCOTTISH RACING | GB | |
| JOCKEYS | 16 | 450 |
| TRAINERS | 24 | 600 |
Source: British Horseracing Association (at March 2019)
The impact of racehorse development and maintenance generated £42.7m of turnover in Scotland. This includes ownership, breeding and training. Racing in Scotland also employs 250 other stable staff, and sustains a further 110 FTE jobs through secondary economic activity.
Employment in Racehorse Development
| CATEGORY | JOBS |
| STABLE STAFF | 250 |
| JOCKEYS | 16 |
| TRAINERS | 24 |
Source: British Horseracing Association and 4-consulting estimates
Economic Impact of developing & maintaining racehorses
| TURNOVER | JOBS | |||||
| Direct | Secondary | Total | Direct | Secondary | Total | |
| DEVELOPING & MAINTAINING | £24.2m | £18.5m | £42.7m | 290 | 110 | 400 |
Source: BHA, Scottish Government Input-Output model and 4-consulting calculations
The table below shows employment related to horse ownership by local area across the UK, over three years 2015-17 relative to the resident population data for 2017.
The Scottish Borders has the fifth highest number of jobs relating to horse ownership per head in Britain. The Scottish Borders has 17 jobs per 100,000 people compared to an average of one job per 100,000 people for the whole of Scotland. The next highest local authority in Scotland is Perth and Kinross with 6 jobs per 100,000 people.
There are more registered trainers in the Scottish Borders than any other part Scotland, and this area accounts for one in three trainers in Scotland.
Jobs related to horse ownership per 100,000 people
| TOP 10 NUTS 3 AREAS | JOBS |
| NORTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE | 52 |
| ISLE OF ANGLESEY | 33 |
| SUFFOLK | 23 |
| CAMBRIDGESHIRE | 20 |
| SCOTTISH BORDERS | 17 |
| HEREFORDSHIRE | 15 |
| NORTH AND NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE | 11 |
| WILTSHIRE | 9 |
| WEST SUSSEX (SOUTH WEST) | 8 |
| CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER | 7 |
Source: Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES) & Eurostat
Location of trainers in Scotland (2018)
| AREA | TRAINERS |
| SCOTTISH BORDERS | 8 |
| LANARKSHIRE | 5 |
| DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY | 3 |
| AYRSHIRE | 3 |
| PERTH AND KINROSS | 3 |
| REST OF SCOTLAND | 2 |
| TOTAL | 24 |
Source: British Horseracing Association