Oregon Bans Greyhound Racing Betting

A Game-Changer for Greyhound Betting

Oregon just pulled the plug on greyhound racing bets, with Governor Tina Kotek signing House Bill 3020 on May 7, 2025, shutting down all wagers on dog races by July 1, 2027.

The law slams the door on online betting platforms, known as advanced deposit wagering (ADW), that let folks bet on greyhound races happening anywhere in the world.

 With only West Virginia still hosting live races in the US, this move’s a solid win for animal rights activists cheering the end of a controversial sport.

Oregon hasn’t seen live greyhound racing since Multnomah Greyhound Park closed in 2004, but the state became a hub for online bets on dog races held elsewhere.

As one of only two US states allowing these wagers, Oregon handled a whopping 57% of the nation’s $155 million in online greyhound betting through ADW platforms. Most of the cash flowed to horse racing, but dog bets kept rolling in, especially on foreign tracks.

The state jumped into online wagering early, and companies based there built a big business around it. HB 3020 cuts that cord, ending Oregon’s long, under-the-radar tie to a sport that’s been shrinking for decades amid falling interest and fierce pushback from animal welfare groups.

Fixing a Fuzzy Law

The new law cleans up a messy earlier attempt to curb greyhound betting. Back in 2022, Senate Bill 1504 tried to stop Oregon from taking dog race bets, but its vague wording let ADW firms keep the action going, mostly on races abroad.

Governor Kotek pushed lawmakers to tighten the rules, and HB 3020 delivers, banning anyone from placing, accepting, or facilitating greyhound bets, period.

The law’s clarity shuts down any wiggle room, targeting a practice that’s been called out as cruel by activists across the globe.