Recorded Races, Screen-Shared Anywhere
Virtual Race Night on Zoom: What the Rules Allow
A virtual race night can mean two different things, and only one of them is straightforward. Here is what a virtual race night is, what the Gambling Commission says about running one remotely, and the two ways groups run ours.
Before you plan an online fundraiser
We are not lawyers and nothing on this page is legal advice. The Gambling Commission’s guidance on fundraising with race nights states that none of the fundraising exemptions it describes may be run remotely, and gives the internet and social media as examples.
For that reason we do not recommend using our packages for a remote fundraising event without taking legal advice first, and we do not publish instructions for collecting stakes remotely.
Our packages are supplied for events held at a venue, with participants present in the same room. Every event our customers have reported to us has been run in person. If you want to run an online event, read the section below, then contact the Gambling Commission or take advice.
Two Different Things Called “Virtual”
A virtual race night is an evening built around races that are not happening live — they are pre-recorded or computer-generated films played on a screen. That is the sense the Gambling Commission uses. It is also what we sell: HD race films, race cards, tote paperwork and a compere track, downloaded as a zip.
The phrase is also used to mean something else entirely: an event where the participants are remote, joining a video call from their own homes. These two meanings get run together, and the difference matters, because the rules that let a charity run a race night without a licence are written for people in a room.
Our race films are digital and will screen-share from any laptop. Whether a particular fundraising event may lawfully be run that way is a question about the exemptions, not about the software.
Virtual Race Nights and UK Gambling Law
We are not lawyers and nothing here is legal advice. Gambling in Great Britain is regulated by the Gambling Commission under the Gambling Act 2005. The Commission is an independent public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Read the guidance yourself before you plan any event where money is staked.
The Commission’s definition of a non-commercial race night covers events where participants stake money on live, recorded or virtual races. A recording of a race that has already run is contemplated by the guidance. That is about the footage.
Taking part remotely is treated differently
Immediately after that definition, the Commission states that none of the fundraising exemptions it goes on to describe “can be carried out remotely, for example over the internet or social media”. Watching recorded races in a hall is one thing. Participants joining from home over a video call is another, and the exemptions are not written for it.
The three types of race night
What the rules require
Under non-commercial gaming the Commission says players must select a horse entirely by chance, and no odds or form may be given to help anyone choose. A recording of a race that has already run is acceptable, provided details of the horses are not revealed. No private gain may be made, and all money taken must go to the advertised good cause, though reasonable costs such as prizes and ticket printing may be deducted. Under-18s may take part in a race night run as non-commercial gaming.
Where prizes are paid out in proportion to the stakes, the event may instead fall under non-commercial equal chance gaming, which carries limits on both what a player may be charged per day and the total prize fund. Where prizes are advertised in advance and do not depend on how many people play, non-commercial prize gaming may apply, and that is governed differently again.
Our position
- We supply race films and paperwork. We do not run events and we do not handle stakes.
- Our packages are supplied for events held at a venue, with participants present in the same room.
- We do not recommend using them for a remote fundraising event without legal advice, and we do not publish instructions for collecting stakes remotely.
- Playing the races online for entertainment, with nothing staked and no fundraising, does not engage any of this.
- If you are unsure, ask the Gambling Commission or your local licensing authority. Both answer public queries at no cost.
Read the guidance in full: Fundraising with race nights · Contact the Commission · Gambling Act 2005 · Find your local licensing authority
Running the Races Online, Just for Fun
This is the straightforward version. Nobody stakes anything, nothing is raised, and there is no prize fund tied to the outcome. Families do it for reunions and birthdays. Remote teams do it instead of another quiz. One of our customers ran exactly this for a family evening in Norfolk.
1. Choose your platform
Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or any platform that lets you share your screen. Zoom is the most popular because breakout rooms let people chat in smaller groups between races. Whatever your group already uses will work.
2. Share your screen with audio
Our packages are digital files, so there is nothing to post and nothing to wait for. Open the menu, play a race, and tick the “share computer audio” box. The commentary is most of the atmosphere; without it the race is just horses.
3. Everyone picks a horse
Show the race card, let people call out or type their pick in the chat, and close the picks before the off. Keep a running tally on a shared spreadsheet. No money changes hands. The person with the most correct picks at the end wins the bragging rights.
4. Keep it moving
Show the leaderboard between races. Announce the winners with some ceremony. Two hours is the outside limit before people start checking their phones.
If you want to raise money, hold the event at a venue. See the section above, and the running order below works equally well in a room.
Technical Setup Tips
Audio is everything
The race commentary creates the excitement. Use “share computer audio” when screen sharing — Zoom has a checkbox for it. Test beforehand that people can hear both your voice and the race audio clearly.
Have a co-host
While you are presenting and sharing your screen, have someone else watch the chat, admit latecomers, and deal with anyone who cannot hear. One person cannot do both well.
Send instructions in advance
Email everyone beforehand explaining how picks work and what time to log on. Include a phone number in case anyone struggles to join. The less confusion on the night, the better.
Test your setup
Do a dry run with a couple of friends. Check the races play smoothly and the audio carries. One of our customers found the cheering drowned out the commentary — external speakers fixed it. Ten minutes of testing saves an hour of confusion.
Sample Two-Hour Running Order
Screen fatigue is real. Two hours is the sweet spot online; in a room you can run longer.
Ideas to Make the Evening Special
Themed backgrounds
Send everyone a virtual background — a grandstand, the winner’s enclosure, or your own branding.
Dress code
Ladies’ Day hats, racing colours, or fancy dress. Gallery view does the rest.
A shared cocktail
Send a recipe beforehand so everyone makes the same drink, then toast together at the off.
Rename the horses
One customer renamed every horse after local places. It cost nothing and it was the best part of the night.
Commentary from a real caller
Our races are called by Mark Johnson, who has commentated on the Epsom Derby. It carries over a video call better than you would expect.
Post the prize
If there is a trophy or a bottle for the winner, put it in the post afterwards. It gives the evening a tail.
Ready to Get the Films?
Our digital packages download instantly — no DVDs, no posting, no waiting. Screen-share them online for a fun evening, or run them on a projector at your venue for a fundraiser. Buy once, use as many times as you like.
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Virtual Race Night FAQs
What does virtual race night mean?
It has two meanings. It can mean the races are virtual, meaning pre-recorded or computer-generated films rather than a live meeting. It can also mean the participants are virtual, joining from home over a video call. Our packages are recorded race films, and the two meanings carry very different rules.
Can we run a race night on Zoom to raise money?
We do not recommend it without legal advice. The Gambling Commission states that none of the fundraising exemptions can be carried out remotely, including over the internet or social media. You can play the races online for fun with nothing staked, or hold your fundraiser at a venue. Ask the Commission or your local licensing authority if you are unsure.
Do we still need a gambling licence for virtual race nights?
We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. The Gambling Commission’s guidance on fundraising with race nights sets out the exemptions that allow a race night to be run for charity without a licence, and states that none of them can be carried out remotely. Read it in full before planning an online fundraising event.
Can we take bets over a video call?
We do not publish instructions for collecting stakes remotely, and we do not recommend doing it without legal advice. For an online evening, ask people to pick a horse for nothing and keep score. For a fundraiser, hold the event at a venue.
What video platform works best for virtual race nights?
Zoom is the most popular because it handles large groups well and the share computer audio option ensures everyone hears the race commentary clearly. Microsoft Teams and Google Meet also work well. Use whatever your group already knows.
How many people can join a virtual race night?
There is no upper limit from our side; your video platform is the only constraint. Most groups find twenty to eighty households works best, because larger numbers get hard to keep track of.
What equipment do we need to host a virtual race night?
A computer with a decent internet connection, a webcam and microphone, and a race night package downloaded and ready. Test screen sharing with audio beforehand. That is genuinely all you need.
How long should a virtual race night last?
Two hours is the outside limit online. Screen fatigue is real and attention spans are shorter than in a room. Eight races with a break in the middle fits comfortably.
Last updated: July 2026
