North Dakota rejects greyhound racing betting ban despite oversight concerns
A bill to ban betting on greyhound racing in North Dakota failed to pass in the House earlier this week. Senator Claire Cory's proposal, part of Senate Bill 2384, aimed to update gaming laws but faced strong opposition from lawmakers.
The rejection means advance deposit wagering (ADW) platforms can still accept bets on greyhound races in the state. Senate Bill 2384 was split into two parts: one updating regulations for gaming machines and another banning ADW on greyhound races. Senator Cory argued that greyhound racing lacked oversight and had ties to criminal activity. Despite her concerns, the House voted against the measure, ensuring ADW platforms can continue operating as before.
The bill's failure follows another rejected proposal in late March, which sought to change rules for charitable gambling organisations. Earlier in January, Senators Janne Myrdal and Larry Luick had also pushed to dissolve the state's Gaming Commission, though that effort did not succeed.
Bruce Johnson, executive director of North Dakota Racing, warned that the ban could have cut 10% of race wagering and forced ADW platforms to leave the state. Meanwhile, Hazen Representative Bill Tveit stressed the economic importance of horse racing to North Dakota's agriculture and tax revenue.
The state's gambling landscape remains stricter than Arkansas, where dog racing was banned in 2000 but casino gambling has since expanded. North Dakota, however, maintains limited gambling options, with tribal casinos dominating and no commercial dog or horse racing tracks since the 1990s. Recent ballot measures in 2024 failed to fully legalise sports betting, keeping tribal exclusivity under 2022 compacts. With the bill's defeat, greyhound race betting will stay legal on ADW platforms in North Dakota. The decision preserves existing wagering options while keeping the state's gambling regulations largely unchanged. Advocacy groups like GREY2K USA Worldwide had supported the ban but will now see no immediate shift in policy.
