Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support the promotion of the greyhound racing industry; and if she will make a statement.

The government acknowledges the contribution that greyhound racing makes to our economy. There are 21 licensed stadiums in Great Britain, regulated by the main industry regulatory body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB). The GBGB have estimated that the British greyhound industry employs over 7,000 people across the country, with an annual turnover estimated at £2.6 billion. In 2019/20, betting on greyhound racing raised £35m through the General Betting Duty.

The GBGB receives funds through the British Greyhound Racing Fund (BGRF) in the form of voluntary contributions from bookmakers on betting turnover on licensed greyhound racing. In January 2019 the Government announced that it had secured a new funding commitment from five of the largest online bookmakers, to help ensure the welfare of greyhounds continues to be protected and improved. This was in addition to the existing voluntary payments made to the BGRF from most betting operators that benefit from greyhound racing, which sit alongside commercial deals between the betting and racing industries. In March 2021 the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) announced a further four bookmakers had agreed to begin contributing to the Fund. This means that every member of the BGC who offers bets on greyhound racing now contributes to the Fund.

The government has welcomed the GBGB’s welfare targets, contained in the Greyhound Commitment and its long term, national welfare strategy, ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’.

The department has held discussions with the greyhound racing industries on a range of issues and will continue to encourage any remaining bookmakers that have not signed up to the voluntary arrangements to do so.