Simon Rowlands ends tenure as Chair of racing’s Bettors Forum

The Horseracing Bettors Forum (HBF) has announced that founding Chairman Simon Rowlands has stepped down as leading representative of its organisation.

Rowlands is a founding member of the HBF, a group formed in 2015 with the assistance of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to represent the interests of UK racing’s betting customers.

A key stakeholder for UK racing, Rowlands represented the interests of UK bettors at BHA consultations and spoke on behalf of racing enthusiasts at the ‘All-Party Betting and Gaming Group’ seminar for the House of Lords.

During his leadership tenure, Rowlands secured a number of achievements for racing punters, including improving all-around race data provisions and accurate racecourse measurements.

Furthermore, Rowlands lobbied for the now implemented controls on non-runners and succeeded in securing ’48-hour declarations’ for all Cheltenham Festivals.

Praising Rowlands work and contributions to racing,  Matt Bisogno new HBF Chair, stated:

“I’d like to place on record my deep gratitude to Simon for his tireless work and leadership: his comprehensive awareness of the industry, allied to an infectious tenacity, has been a great example to all HBF members. It goes without saying he will be missed on the Forum and, from a personal perspective, I want to thank Simon for his guidance, but mostly for instilling the confidence to challenge and push for what we believe is right for British racing punters and the sport in general”.