James Lovell, co-founder and Director of Welsh bookie DragonBet, has slammed the recent government decision to ban greyhound racing.

The Director called the move “a huge shame”, criticising it for not being backed by hard evidence but rather serving a political agenda that disregards a whole sport which has been placing a heavy emphasis on animal welfare.

“For many people, this sport is a way of life, built around people who care deeply for their dogs and have dedicated their lives to them,” Lovell said.

He also accused the government of hypocrisy, arguing that everything it has said against greyhound racing could be easily applied to horse racing as well – a sport that is currently flourishing in Wales.

There are currently three active horse racecourses in Wales – Bangor-on-Dee, Chepstow and Ffos Las. In contrast there is only one active greyhound track, Valley Greyhound Stadium in Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed.

“At a time when horse racing in Wales is achieving real success and giving people something to be proud of, it is fair to ask where this ends. Today it is greyhound racing – tomorrow, what sport involving animals is next?,” DragonBet’s Director concluded.

As a reminder, Wales’ Senedd voted in favour of a proposal to ban greyhound racing citing animal welfare concerns, with the prohibition essentially coming into effect on 1 April 2027 – leaving a three-year transition period until 1 April 2030 for all stakeholders to accommodate the changes.

As with DragonBet’s case, the decision has not gone without its fair share of criticism, with one of the most avid opponents being the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) and its Chief Executive Officer, Mark Bird.

Echoing Lovell’s comments, Bird was naturally also disappointed in the direction that the government took, adding: “The only thing this Bill will do is destroy people’s jobs, family-run businesses and community touchpoints not to mention cause significant loss to the Welsh economy.”

As it stands, Wales and Scotland are currently the two countries in the UK to have officially banned greyhound racing, with both prohibitions being voted on the same day. Greyhound racing has not been practiced in Scotland since the last regulated track, in Fife, closed in 2019.

The GBGB has, unsurprisingly, come out strongly against both bans. Commenting on the Scottish ban last week, Bird criticised the bill as  ‘unevidenced, illogical and will help no-one in Scotland – least of all greyhounds’.

Globally, the sport can still be legally organised in the US, Australia, Ireland, England, and Northern Ireland, with New Zealand also banning it in 2025.