Trish Dunell Photography
The governing bodies of the New Zealand racing industry are united in their support for the new Racing Amendment Bill, introduced by the Minister for Racing David Bennett.
The New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB), New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) and Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ) see the introduction of the bill a major milestone in the process of bringing a welcome increase in funding to the industry.
The proposed legislation addresses the rapid and broad growth of online betting and the loss of potential industry income to overseas bookmakers.
“We are delighted to see the recommendations from the Offshore Betting Working Group progressing through to legislation,” said NZRB’s Glenda Hughes.
Thoroughbred code officials were also pleased that the Bill had entered parliament.
“We welcome the proposed legislation and look forward to engaging with the Racing Board and Government to maximise revenue opportunities for the industry,” said NZTR’s Alan Jackson.