Greyhound Racing Victoria

Origins and early regulation Organised greyhound coursing in Victoria dates to the 1870s, with public meetings held in Melbourne and regional areas during the late 19th century. Early forms of the sport commonly involved live hare coursing, reflecting prevailing practices at the time, before later transitions to enclosed tracks and the use of artificial lures. For much of this early period, oversight was primarily handled through club rules and voluntary associations rather than dedicated state regulation. The terminology used in the governing legislation shifted from “dog” racing to “greyhound” racing through the Racing (Amendment) Act 1971 (Vic), renaming the Dog Racing Control Board the Greyhound Racing Control Board. Transition to GRV The governance framework for greyhound racing was substantially restructured by the Racing and Betting Acts (Amendment) Act 2001 (Vic). The amendments renamed the Greyhound Racing Control Board to Greyhound Racing Victoria and expanded its responsibilities to include broader commercial, integrity and operational functions alongside regulatory oversight. 2012 governance and conflict-of-interest scandal In 2012, the Victorian Ombudsman released a report into governance and conflict-of-interest failures at GRV, finding a long-standing culture of staff betting on greyhound races during business hours. The report stated that members of senior management, including then Chief Executive Officer John Stephens, had engaged in such conduct over an extended period. The findings were tabled in Parliament and prompted intervention by the Minister for Racing, Denis Napthine, who dissolved the board (except for recently appointed members) and accepted Stephens' resignation. The episode led to strengthened conflict-of-interest policies and a prohibition on staff betting on greyhound races. 2015 live-baiting scandal and integrity reforms The industry faced significant scrutiny following the 2015 live baiting scandal, which was revealed in a February 2015 Four Corners investigation. The program identified Bob Smith, a former GRV integrity and racing operations manager, in footage filmed at the Tooradin trial track in Victoria, and also identified a former GRV steward. A subsequent own-motion inquiry by the Racing Integrity Commissioner, Sal Perna, resulted in regulatory and governance reforms, including the resignation of senior officials, strengthened integrity measures, and expanded animal welfare oversight powers. Post-2015 welfare and regulatory reforms Subsequent legislative and regulatory changes further expanded GRV’s responsibilities, including the introduction of digital traceability systems and enhanced welfare standards, as reflected in the Code of Practice for the Keeping of Racing Greyhounds and related regulatory instruments. These reforms were intended to strengthen regulatory compliance while addressing animal welfare concerns and supporting the long-term sustainability of the industry. == Governance ==

Board GRV is governed by a board appointed by the Victorian Government under the Act. with John (Jack) Blayney serving as deputy chair. Other board members include Biagio Buccilli, Carly Dixon, Andrew Giddy, and Lisa Tripodi. Integrity and compliance functions are delivered through the Greyhound Racing Integrity Unit (GRIU), overseen by the General Manager, Integrity, currently Shane O’Connell. External appointments GRV holds a seat on the board of Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL), the independent laboratory responsible for prohibited substance testing across the Victorian racing industry. The position is currently held by GRV’s General Manager, Integrity. == Funding and financial structure ==

GRV is funded primarily through statutory distributions of wagering-related taxation revenue, together with commercial and industry income. Under legislation, revenue derived from the Point of Consumption Tax (POCT) is paid into the state’s Consolidated Fund and allocated to the Victorian Racing Industry under the Racing Act 1958 (Vic). The POCT applies to wagering operators on bets placed by Victorian residents, regardless of the operator’s location, and covers wagering on racing and other sporting events. In 2023, amendments to Victoria’s wagering and taxation framework established a revised industry funding model linking racing industry revenue to a legislated share of POCT receipts. The government stated that the changes were intended to provide long-term funding certainty for the industry. In June 2024, the Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) published a policy costing which estimated that shutting down greyhound racing in Victoria and ceasing POCT-funded payments to the industry would improve the state’s net position by $264.3 million over 2024–25 to 2034–35, reflecting reduced expenditure partly offset by lower wagering tax revenue. The costing stated that it did not model substitution effects in wagering behaviour or potential contractual claims against the state. == Operations and infrastructure ==

GRV administers operational systems and programs that support the conduct, regulation, and administration of greyhound racing in Victoria, alongside associated rehoming and welfare initiatives. Digital systems FastTrack GRV's primary digital platform, FastTrack, administers nominations, registrations, grading, and race results for the Victorian greyhound racing industry. Launched on 1 May 2013 as a replacement for earlier legacy systems, it provides a centralised online platform through which registered participants manage administrative and racing-related functions, including greyhound and participant registrations, race nominations and scratchings, grading, ownership records, and prizemoney processing. The system maintains comprehensive lifetime records for registered greyhounds in Victoria, including historical race results since its introduction, while providing public access to limited race and form information without a participant login. In 2021, an ABC News report raised concerns about the public-facing FastTrack database, noting that some deceased greyhounds were displayed as "retired" rather than deceased. Critics argued this limited transparency regarding end-of-career outcomes for racing dogs. GRV stated that the external FastTrack portal categorises greyhounds no longer in the racing industry as "retired", while more detailed retirement subcategories are maintained internally and used for official reporting. Watchdog GRV provides Watchdog, a digital platform accessible via web and mobile devices, which offers live race schedules, race results, form guides, replays, and related racing media. The platform serves as a public-facing tool for accessing real-time and historical racing information and draws on race and form data maintained by GRV, including data generated through its FastTrack system. Digital Greyhound Lifecycle Tracking (DGLT) In March 2023, the Victorian Parliament unanimously supported a motion moved by Animal Justice Party MLC Georgie Purcell calling for the introduction of an automated whole-of-life digital tracking system for greyhounds in Victoria. GRV subsequently committed to improving its whole-of-life tracking systems. In May 2024, the Victorian Government announced more than $2 million in funding for the initiative, consisting of more than $1.6 million from the state government and a $418,000 contribution from GRV. The initiative, known as the Digital Greyhound Lifecycle Tracking (DGLT) program, is a digital platform for recording and consolidating lifecycle data relating to registered greyhounds, including location, identification, and regulatory check-ins. It enables registered participants to submit mandatory lifecycle check-ins relating to breeding, racing, property movements, retirement, and rehoming, and provides public access to basic lifecycle information and historical race profiles via an online portal. DGLT replaces manual reporting processes with automated digital recording intended to consolidate lifecycle data and streamline regulatory reporting. According to GRV’s 2024–25 Annual Report, the program was on track for full implementation in early 2026. Venues Greyhound racing venues in Victoria are operated by individual greyhound racing clubs, with GRV exercising regulatory oversight under the Act. Venues may host meetings at different levels, including hybrid formats introduced in 2026, depending on the racing program. Under GRV’s infrastructure planning documents, the two metropolitan tracks primarily conduct Level 1 meetings but may also host provincial configurations and hybrid programs. Active venues The following venues currently host scheduled greyhound race meetings. Provincial tracks predominantly host Level 2 meetings (with 622 scheduled for the 2025–26 season), though Level 3 or hybrid meetings may also be conducted depending on programming. Non-operational venues The following venues are registered or historically significant greyhound racing tracks in Victoria but are not currently hosting race meetings due to redevelopment. == Industry relations ==

Relations between GRV and industry participant groups have periodically been strained over prize money, administrative expenditure, and the regulatory impact of welfare and integrity reforms. 2021 prize money and regulatory dispute In June 2021, participants represented by the Greyhound Owners Trainers and Breeders Association of Victoria (GOTBA Vic) indicated they would withhold nominations from selected Victorian race meetings as part of a dispute with GRV over prize money and participant treatment. Media coverage and industry commentary reported criticism from participant representatives and leading trainers that consultation was limited and that key decisions affecting participants were made without adequate industry input. A central point of dispute concerned prize money and participant returns. GOTBA Vic argued that while total prize money had increased, the proportion of industry revenue returned to participants had declined, and criticised GRV’s administrative expenditure and expansion of the racing schedule. During the same period, the association and some trainers also raised concerns about the practical impacts of integrity and welfare enforcement, including GRV warnings about the risk of inadvertent prohibited-substance positives from contaminated feed. The mediation concluded without agreement. GOTBA Vic subsequently stated that the process ended without substantive outcomes, while GRV stated it had participated in good faith and remained committed to prize money increases and improved participant engagement. Participant criticism during this period also addressed the regulatory impact of the Greyhound Code of Practice introduced in 2020. GOTBA Vic argued that associated infrastructure and compliance requirements increased the cost of participation, particularly for smaller trainers and owner-operators. The proposed action was not universally supported within the association, with GOTBA Vic’s vice-president publicly stating that the move had not been endorsed by the committee and that some members intended to nominate as usual. GRV stated that it had not received formal notice of any strike action and reiterated its commitment to open dialogue with industry stakeholders. == Rehoming and retirement ==

Greyhound Adoption Program The Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) is a rehoming initiative operated by GRV. According to a 2016 report in the Greater Dandenong Leader, the program was established in 1996 by Melanie Tochner and Anita Smith. GAP facilitates the adoption of greyhounds, including retired racing greyhounds and greyhounds that have not raced, and operates a rehoming facility in Seymour, Victoria. According to GRV annual reports, GAP adoptions have varied year to year. Between 2021–22 and 2024–25, total GAP adoptions declined, alongside a reduction in the number of greyhounds rehomed for the first time through the program. == Feature races ==

GRV conducts a number of long-standing and high-profile races commonly referred to as feature races. • Australian Cup • Ballarat Cup • Bendigo Cup • Geelong Cup • Harrison-Dawson • Healesville Cup • Hume Cup • Laurels Classic • Melbourne Cup • Sandown Cup • Sapphire Crown • Silver Chief • Topgun • Warrnambool Cup == References ==