North Dakota house rejects bill to ban greyhound bets online
A legislative effort aimed at limiting a betting platform from taking wagers on greyhound races worldwide failed to make it through the North Dakota House on 31 March (Monday). The bill was defeated in the House on a 69-19 vote.
Senator Claire Cory, a Republican from North Dakota, introduced Senate Bill 2384, which aimed to curb greyhound racing betting in the state. The bill was split into two key sections, one addressing and updating gaming machine regulations and the other aiming to ban Advance Deposit Wagering (ADWs) from accepting greyhound race wagers. Sen. Cory’s argument was that greyhound racing is not as well-regulated as other forms of racing, like horse racing. She also noted how the sport is linked to criminal organisations and drug-related activities, citing these concerns as reasons to limit betting on greyhounds.
North Dakota horsemen have opposed the bill
Sen. Cory also maintained that the change would not have much impact on North Dakota’s horse racing industry, since the ADW amendment was designed to be phased in gradually over two years. However, North Dakota horsemen have opposed the bill. They argue that the loss of ADWs licened in the state would almost certainly “kill live horse racing”. This is especially because the racing commission depends on the ADW tax money.
GREY2K USA Worldwide, an advocacy group dedicated to ending greyhound racing, expressed strong support for the bill. The organisation has been a vocal opponent of greyhound racing due to concerns about cruelty and lack of proper regulation. It had previously claimed that North Dakota “hosts one of the largest simulcast hubs in the country. Millions in bets are processed each year.”
ADWs are online betting platforms that are designed to place bets on horse and dog racing from across the world. They can be incorporated anywhere in the US. After that, the companies are licenced that have a process to regulate and licence such companies. North Dakota and Oregon are primary ADW licensing states.
What are the reasons for opposing the bill?
The primary reasons cited for opposing the bill were its potential to harm North Dakota’s racing industry and the broader gambling economy. Legislators were concerned that banning greyhound racing could force ADW platforms to relocate to other states, potentially depriving North Dakota of a valuable revenue stream. North Dakota Racing’s executive director, Bruce Johnson, warned that restricting greyhound betting would cut off about 10 percent of the revenue currently generated from ADW platforms. This would not only affect the financial stability of the racing industry but could also result in job losses.
In comparison to Arkansas had better luck in banning greyhound racing, with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recently inking the bill. This would restrict simulcasts, enabling state residents to gamble at out-of-state races and international races. In February, Wales officially put greyhound racing on a short leash, becoming the first UK nation to ban the sport. The Welsh Government announced they will implement the ban “as soon as practically possible,” marking a primary shift in both animal welfare policy and gambling regulation.
