Greyhound chief calls for betting right extension
GBGB chief executive Barry Faulkner questions government's decision to limit betting right to horseracing
The funding of greyhound racing in the UK has reached a “critical level” and should be included in any plans for a betting right, according to Greyhound Board of Great Britain chief executive Barry Faulkner.
His comments come during an ongoing Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) consultation over the introduction of a betting right, aimed at providing a long-term funding solution for the horseracing industry and replacing the current Racing Levy system.
The DCMS recently described the relationship between betting and the horseracing industry as “unique” and, as such, said it would not consider extending the racing right into other sports.
However, Faulkner said greyhound racing and horseracing shared a reliance on contributions made to their respective sports by the betting industry and suggested the DCMS had simply “forgotten” about the sport when forming its plans.
“We believe that DCMS is incorrect in its assertion that the relationship between horseracing and betting is unique. It’s not,” Faulkner told eGaming Review.
“The relationship between greyhound racing and betting share the same characteristics and neither sport would take place in their current form without betting,” he added.
A racing right would see operators licensed by the Gambling Commission required to hand over a percentage of winnings derived from UK horseracing bets in order to fund improvements to the sport and aid veterinary research.
The greyhound racing industry currently receives 0.6% of turnover from off-course bookmakers but this is a voluntary payment and in 2013 Betfair hit the headlines for withdrawing its contribution to the fund.
“The funding the industry receives from the British Greyhound Racing Fund to enable it to fulfil its obligations to welfare and integrity and to sustain the sport and its participants has been falling and, in truth, has reached a critical level,” Faulkner said.
“It is essential that a new funding model is developed to enable the greyhound industry to thrive rather than survive. We are aware of opinions that have been expressed concerning the legality of a racing right but clearly the government believes that recent ECJ rulings have removed the legal threat,” he added.
According to sports minister Helen Grant, the Racing Levy, which was established in 1961, has become out-dated, has “too many issues” and must be replaced.