SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Robbie Cooke CEO of Australian sports betting and gambling operator Tatts Group has slammed Australian greyhound racing operations, stating that Tatts Group may be forced to withdraw advertising if shocking allegations of cheating and animal cruelty are true.
A TV Exposé by ABC News showed shocking images of animal cruelty by individual greyhound trainers, who used animals such as piglets, rabbits and possums as live bait for the greyhounds to chase in training.
Cooke urged the Australian criminal courts to take action against the trainers, further slamming Australian racing authorities for failing to stamp out such activity.
“It is awful, it is appalling, it is a situation where the industry and the regulators have let everybody down,” Mr Cooke said. “I don’t think there’s any sidestepping that.”
“The individuals involved should be hauled up and disciplined for what’s happened. ABC has revealed the worst form of cheating, manipulation of rules and morally bankrupt behaviour. This is a tragedy in the sense that betting on racing, as a pastime in Australia, it’s an endeavour that a lot of people get a lot of enjoyment out of”.
The Australian Wagering Council has issued a statement condemning the actions of greyhound trainers and stating that it would support any investigation into the allegations of corruption in racing.
