Betting on Dog Racing. The Next Legalised Gambling Opportunity in South Africa? A Cautionary Note from the Regulation of Greyhound Racing in Great Britain

Abstract: This article commences with a brief overview of the history of dog racing in South Africa. It provides a synopsis of South Africa’s current legal position on dog racing and the betting thereon. The main question this article addresses is whether there is any policy reason why dog racing and wagering should not be legalised and regulated. Furthermore, some comments are included discussing how such regulation should fit into the broader existing gambling regulatory framework should the legislature make the decision to legalise dog racing and wagering. The article concludes with a discussion of the greyhound racing industry in Britain and the recent developments in that jurisdiction. The rationale for the choice of this jurisdiction as a comparison is that a successful greyhound racing industry has existed in Britain for decades. Yet, notwithstanding the successes of dog racing in Britain, an independent review was commissioned to investigate the sport after two high-profile animal welfare incidents in 2006. In December 2007, Lord Donoughue of Ashton, on behalf of the British Greyhound Racing Board and the National Greyhound Racing Club, published a report with recommendations for change titled, Independent Review of the Greyhound Industry in Great Britain. Although the Donoughue Report focuses exclusively on greyhound racing in Britain, this article submits that the principles used in Britain could be useful for any and all types of dog racing and could provide some useful guidelines for the decision concerning the possible legalisation and regulation of the South African dog racing industry.