Graham Holland expresses concerns over gambling advertising restrictions

Ireland's champion greyhound trainer, Graham Holland, has voiced his concern that any restriction on gambling advertising could have an impact when it comes to funding the sport, especially in terms of welfare and prize money.

Holland, a three-time Irish Greyhound Derby-winning trainer who sends out Bockos Crystal in the 2023 running of the €125,000-to-the-winner BoyleSports-backed Classic on Saturday, believes subscription channels should be exempt from proposed curbs on gambling advertising.

The Gambling Regulation Bill is currently at the report stage in Dáil Éireann, and both Racing TV and Sky Sports have threatened to pull their coverage if a ban on gambling advertising before the watershed is introduced.

This would impact funding for both horse and greyhound racing, and Holland agrees with a number of stakeholders who believe a distinction needs to be made between terrestrial and satellite subscription channels, which includes SportyStuffTV/RPGTV, a hugely popular satellite channel for the greyhound industry.

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Holland says, “Advertising generates huge sums of money for both horse and greyhound racing and is important to maintain welfare standards in both sports, including maintaining and increasing the levels of prize money, which allows trainers to hire more staff - that’s a welfare positive in itself!”

Holland also believes that greyhound racing's version of 'Drive to Survive' can captivate newcomers by unraveling the many stories that unfold behind the scenes in the sport.

“You can see what they’ve done with motor racing and golf with those Netflix-type series. You might not be a fan of those sports, but those programs engage you, tell you interesting behind-the-scenes stories, and draw you in. They grow the fan base," he said.

“Maybe there’s something in this sport for those guys. Greyhound racing is fast and thrilling, and the action on the track, in particular, could come across really well - and there’s always stories to tell in greyhound racing. It is full of characters."