A federal invoice to section out greyhound racing in West Virginia, the final bastion of greyhound racing in the US, was not welcomed by two lawmakers within the state.
Rep. Alex Mooney (R) and Rep. Carol Miller (R) mentioned in separate statements that it must be left to West Virginia to determine whether or not to cancel the race.
“Greyhound racing has a wealthy historical past in West Virginia,” Mooney mentioned. The Wheeling Information-Register. “Choices about the way forward for canine paw prints within the state must be made by state governments and the personal sector.”
“A merciless and dying business”
A bipartisan invoice, the Greyhound Safety Act (GPA), would amend federal animal welfare legal guidelines to ban greyhound racing and make betting on races unlawful.
It was launched final Thursday by Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-California) and others. Cardenas is an animal rights activist and has sponsored his beforehand unsuccessful GPA.
Greyhound racing is a merciless, dying business that doesn’t deserve a spot in our nation,” Cardenas mentioned in an announcement. “These canine are sometimes subjected to rigorous coaching and racing with the chance of significant harm or loss of life. When not racing or coaching, these animals will be drugged, electrocuted, and killed as much as 23 hours a day.” They’re typically subjected to horrific and inhumane therapy, together with the imprisonment of
Cardenas added that he hopes the invoice will “fully finish the industrial greyhound racing business and the cruelty to animals which can be so intently linked to it.”
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West Virginia has two greyhound racetracks: the Mardi Gras On line casino & Resort close to Charleston and the Wheeling Island Resort On line casino Racetrack. These are the one two remaining within the nation since Florida canceled the race on the finish of 2020 and Southland, the final circuit in Arkansas, closed late final yr.
Competitors closures seem to have elevated betting handles truck in west virginia. However Delaware North, proprietor of each companies, mentioned: The Wheeling Information-Register It mentioned it had no plans to cancel the race, however mentioned the corporate wouldn’t object to doing so if the federal authorities requested to take action.
As a result of the venue is a racetrack, it’s allowed to supply playing video games akin to Video Lottery Terminals (VLT) and desk video games. Nevertheless, quitting horse racing and turning into a full-fledged on line casino as a substitute of “horse racing” can be extra worthwhile in the long term.
“North Delaware continues to watch legislative efforts to finish greyhound racing in West Virginia, and if a invoice is handed that will enable casinos to function with out horse racing, two of the state’s casinos would We’d assist phasing out greyhound racing,” spokesman Glenn White mentioned.
(tag translation) recreation enterprise
