New Zealand has shut down greyhound racing, but betting on overseas races continues

Racing Minister Winston Peters said that taxpayers’ money would not be required. TAB NZ will channel funds into the programme that would otherwise have gone to the local greyhound racing sector.

Who is overseeing the winding-up

Closing down Greyhound Racing New Zealand and the clubs under it falls to a purpose-built body, the Greyhound Racing Transition Agency. Staff, property and the functions those bodies used to perform all move across through the same agency.

It keeps track of who has the dogs and their condition until the animals find permanent homes, and maintains records of rehoming. The agency may take ownership of some dogs and cover the cost of their food and upkeep, as well as behaviour modification programmes that improve their chances of being rehomed.

The SPCA and other rehoming organisations are involved in this work. Separate measures are being considered for people whose income depended on the industry, including retraining.

Under the regulations, the agency’s mandate runs until July 2029. The government may extend it for a further two years if the process is delayed.

What led to the ban

No party voted against when the closure law cleared Parliament in April. Ministers had signalled the decision far earlier, in December 2024, once it became clear that changes made inside the sector were not bringing injury numbers down.

Peters cited three independent reviews carried out over the past decade. All of them recorded unacceptable levels of dog deaths and injuries. The relevant parliamentary committee received more than 2,000 submissions from individuals and organisations.

The minister rejected claims that owners had been left without support. According to him, this was the result of a disinformation campaign, and support for the sector had been part of the plan from the outset.

Betting hasn’t gone anywhere

Local greyhound cards have stopped, yet the wagering line has not. TAB NZ can still price up meetings run abroad, while any offshore bookmaker doing the same for a New Zealand customer breaks the law.

For TAB NZ, this means that its betting catalogue has remained virtually unaffected. The ban has eliminated domestic content production whilst simultaneously cutting off offshore brands’ access to the local audience, yet the product itself remains in the offering.

The NZ$60 million figure illustrates the cost of shutting down an entire sector following the very last race.