A man has been arrested after an investigation in connection with the alleged fixing of horse races in Manchester.
The 42-year-old man was detained in Hawkshaw, Bury at 6am on September 12, 2025. The arrest was made in connection with allegations of fixing horse races, as part of a joint investigation by Greater Manchester Police and the Gambling Commission.
The offences are alleged to have been committed under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005, which makes mention of it being an offence to “cheat at gambling” or if someone “does anything for the purpose of enabling or assisting another person to cheat at gambling”.
The investigation was launched after the commission and local authorities received reports of suspicious betting activity linked to horse races earlier this year. Details of the investigation beyond the arrest have not been made public. No further information or statement has been offered by the Commission at the time of writing.
If convicted, sentences in the UK for breaching section 42 can lead to imprisonment for up to two years, an unlimited fine, or both in some cases. A summary conviction can result in a maximum of 51 weeks’ imprisonment in England, a fine, or both.
Horse races in the UK
The horse racing industry in the UK is in a state of flux right now, with protests taking place throughout the summer in the face of anticipated tax reforms. It’s estimated that proposed changes could cost the industry as much as $442 million, as estimated by industry professionals.
This also comes as turnover is generally down across the horse racing sector, highlighting that there are many threats to the healthy growth of this major area in British betting. One worry outlined in that report is that punters are moving towards unlicensed operators, underlining the rise in illegal options on the traditional horse racing betting market.
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