- Oregon closes ADW loophole by banning greyhound bets
- Animal welfare issues drive legislative motion
- Financial implications for state’s racing business
The Oregon legislature has handed a invoice to ban betting on canine racing. Whereas greyhound racing has been unlawful within the state since 2022, advance-deposit wagering websites (ADWs) licensed in Oregon can nonetheless settle for wagers for races held internationally and in West Virginia, the one state within the US that also holds dwell races.
Regardless of potential damaging repercussions for the state’s horse racing business, the invoice was requested by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D), above. (Picture: LBGTQ Victory Fund)
Oregon is certainly one of two ADW hubs within the US, together with North Dakota, that permits its licensees to take on-line bets on canine and horse racing. Nearly all of all web bets made nationwide on canine races are positioned by way of the Oregon hub system by way of corporations like AmWest Leisure, TwinSpires, and Xpressbet.
House Bill 3020, which was handed by the Senate state Senate 16-12 Tuesday, basically prevents Oregon ADWs from processing these bets, which can negatively influence the state’s ADW business.
Knock-on-Impact
That would have a knock-on impact on the horse racing business for the reason that Oregon Racing Fee (ORC) depends on ADW wagering for about 75% of its funding. Whereas greyhound bets signify lower than 2% of the full of all these bets, it’s nonetheless a major determine, which might tempt ADW operators emigrate to North Dakota.
However, issues about animal welfare have trumped any delicate financial disadvantages. The invoice was filed on the request of Oregon’s Democratic governor, Tina Kotek, to whose desk it’s now headed, and was backed by the ORC itself.
In 2023, 10,542 greyhounds had been injured worldwide at racetracks that use the Oregon ADW hub system, based on the ORC.
This new Oregon legislation is the largest victory for greyhound advocates since Florida voted to finish canine racing in 2018. It should successfully ban most web betting on canine racing in the US, as a result of bets from throughout the nation are funneled by way of the so-called Oregon hubs.
“This new Oregon legislation is the largest victory for greyhound advocates since Florida voted to finish canine racing in 2018. It should successfully ban most web betting on canine racing in the US, as a result of bets from throughout the nation are funneled by way of the so-called Oregon hubs,” Carey Theil, government director of GREY2K USA Worldwide, a non-profit that campaigns for greyhound safety.
“The partitions are closing in on the final remnants of greyhound racing in America,” he added.
Diminishing Sport
Betting on greyhound races within the Oregon ADW system shrank by 38% between 2021 and 2023. Three Oregon-licensed ADWs have stopped providing greyhound wagering altogether since 2022.
5 states — Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire — have banned betting on canine races since 2022. Greyhound racing is now unlawful in 43 states and exists at solely two tracks in West Virginia.
Delaware North, which owns the 2 tracks, says it needs to finish racing, which makes little revenue, however should proceed as a situation of its on line casino licenses. In 2022, the operator stated it might help laws that allowed it to supply gaming with out racing.
