• The Scottish Government has confirmed it will support a bill to implement a nationwide ban on greyhound racing, a significant policy reversal that makes the practice’s prohibition likely.
• The move is driven by animal welfare concerns, supported by UK-wide data from 2023 showing 109 trackside deaths and over 4,200 injuries.
• While Scotland currently has no active licensed tracks, supporters of the bill argue a legal ban is necessary to prevent any future revival of the sport.
• The decision sees Scotland join a growing international trend, with both Wales and New Zealand also in the process of prohibiting greyhound racing.
• The government’s backing for the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Green MSP Mark Ruskell, is a major victory for animal welfare campaigners.

The Scottish Government has officially backed a plan to outlaw greyhound racing, throwing its weight behind a private member’s bill that will now almost certainly become law. The move is a major victory for animal welfare groups and marks what Green MSP Mark Ruskell, the bill’s sponsor, has called “a turning point in the long campaign to end this outdated practice.”

In a letter to Ruskell, Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie confirmed the government’s support, signalling a formal policy shift. While some minor amendments to the bill’s enforcement provisions and timeline are expected, the principle of a ban has now been accepted.

The Driving Force: Animal Welfare Data

The government’s decision has been heavily influenced by damning safety statistics from the greyhound racing industry itself. Campaigners have consistently highlighted the high rates of injury and death associated with the sport.

According to industry figures for the UK in 2023, 109 greyhounds died at licensed tracks, and more than 4,200 injuries were recorded. Animal welfare groups have long argued that there is no safe way to force the dogs to run at high speeds on oval tracks without exposing them to an unacceptable risk of serious injury.

A Pre-emptive Ban

While the government’s support is a landmark moment, it’s important to note that there are currently no active, licensed greyhound racing tracks in Scotland. The country’s last remaining venue, Thornton Stadium in Kirkcaldy, closed in March of this year.

However, supporters of the bill have successfully argued that a full legislative ban is still necessary as a pre-emptive measure to ensure the industry can never be revived in the country. This view has been opposed by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, which has questioned the political capital being spent on prohibiting a sport that doesn’t currently operate in Scotland.

A Growing International Trend

Scotland’s move is part of a clear and growing international trend against the sport, driven by the same animal welfare concerns. In Wales, the government announced earlier this year that it also plans to ban greyhound racing, while New Zealand is preparing similar legislation.

For the wider betting industry, this represents a significant headwind for a product that was once a staple of the retail and online offer. The combination of changing social attitudes, effective lobbying by welfare groups, and the industry’s own safety statistics is creating an existential threat for greyhound racing in an increasing number of jurisdictions.