NT Racing and Wagering Commission reveals greyhound meth doping in NT races

A racing greyhound was found with methamphetamines and amphetamines in her system, with the scandal revealed in the first NT Racing and Wagering Commission annual report published in more than three decades.

A Northern Territory trainer whose greyhound had methamphetamines and metabolites in its system has been disqualified from the tracks for 16 months, the racing ombudsman has revealed.

In the first Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission annual report published in more than three decades, the commission confirmed two greyhounds had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs within just seven days.

The 2024-25 report said Chief Costa tested positive for caffeine on June 12, and seven days later Whiskey Diva’s urine pinged for amphetamines, methamphetamines and metabolites on June 19.

Whiskey Diva’s trainer was disqualified for 16 months, while Chief Costa’s trainer was fined $500 and given a three month suspension, which was fully suspended, the annual report said.

The NTRWC said 288 urine swabs were taken from greyhounds over 12 months, meaning 7.4 per cent of dogs were tested from the 3856 starters across 643 races.

The NTRWC report did not detail the number of injuries from racing, but the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds has reported 83 dogs were injured — 23 of whom suffered major injuries — and two died at Territory tracks.

In March, Slippery Sally was put down after suffering a foreleg injury after bumping into the running rail and falling, and a month later Seahorn was examined after a race and found to have suffered a metatarsal fracture and was euthanised.

Slippery Sally and Seahorn were among 96 greyhounds nationally that were fatally injured while racing so far this year, according to the animal welfare group.

The NTRWC report said it was “committed to the welfare of racing greyhounds” with 32 kennel inspections finding no instances of non-compliance, while 77 retired racing greyhounds were rehomed.

“Looking ahead the Darwin Greyhound Association is exploring the feasibility of establishing a dedicated rehoming program to complement existing efforts and expand the pathways available for retired racing greyhounds to find their forever homes,” it said

This comes four years after a 2021 report into the NT greyhound industry found the regulator was “inadequate” to ensure best practice animal welfare standards, with no investigations, decisions or penalties over greyhound treatment in its 14 year history.

In its annual report the NTRWC said $2600 in fines had been issued across 25 breaches — although a $1000 fine for ‘conduct detrimental to the interests of greyhound racing’ was suspended on a 12-month good behaviour order.

Alongside the $500 fine for Chief Costa’s positive urine sample, there were a total of $550 in fines for 11 instances of ‘scratchings after a box draw’, where a dog was expected to compete but had to pull out.

There were also three fines totalling $150 for being late to the kennels, six fines totalling $300 for weight variations and two fines for $100 for general offences.

In its annual report the NTRWC said $2600 in fines had been issued across 25 breaches — although a $1000 fine for ‘conduct detrimental to the interests of greyhound racing’ was suspended on a 12-month good behaviour order.

The NTRWC has previously been criticised as operating a ‘light touch’ regulatory scheme, with the six member commission responsible for overseeing the $42.4bn industry.

Alongside regulating the Territory’s one greyhound and six thoroughbred horse racing tracks, it oversaw 37 sports bookmaker brands, 13 on-course bookmakers, 185 “key persons” and a betting exchange, with 10.1 million active customers making 1.8bn wagers.

The 2023 Senate Inquiry report ‘You win some, you lose more’ raised serious concerns about regulatory and taxation loopholes which meant the “Northern Territory Racing Commission is Australia’s de facto online gambling regulator”.

And due to the six-person Commission essentially overseeing all online gambling, animal welfare groups have consistently highlighted issues around regulation enforcement and public data reporting.

This is the first annual report published by the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission in 32 years, following 2024 changes compelling NTRWC to release its records.

There were 562 complaints to the NTRWC last financial year about gambling companies, with the Commission taking disciplinary action only 19 times — seven of which only resulted in warnings, reprimands or cautions.

Of the 12 adverse findings, gambling operators found to have broken the rules were fined a total of $300,000.

A third of all 562 complaints were to report cancelled bets, another third were about funds withdrawal, while 13 per cent related to alleged breaches of responsible gambling laws.

This included a $92,500 fine to Sportsbet after the betting company texted 154 restricted customers, including 30 who had self-excluded themselves from wagering, in October 2024.

Sportsbet said this incident was due to human error during a staff training session where marketing messages were accidently sent to 747 customers, as well as the restricted accounts — with the error realised before it reached a further 48,891 people.

The NTWRC said it had also protected vulnerable problem gamblers, closing two accounts and ordering two prohibition directions to prohibit at-risk gamblers from engaging in unsafe wagering.

A March Equity Economics report found gambling losses were the highest on record, with Australians losing $31.5bn in 2022-23 alone, while each Aussie gambler lost an average of $2492 across those 12 months.

Both Labor and the CLP have previously backed away from closing the NT as a tax loophole for Australia’s online gambling agencies, as the only jurisdiction without a point of consumption tax for wagering.

It comes as the NT Government released its ‘Strategic Review of the NT Racing Industry’ on Friday, which replaced Thoroughbred Racing NT with a new governing body, Racing NT, and confirmed funding arrangements for Darwin Turf Club, Alice Springs Turf Club and Darwin Greyhound Association.

NT Gamblers, their friends or family seeking confidential support can call Amity Community Service on 1800 858 858.

Originally published as NT Racing and Wagering Commission reveals greyhound meth doping in NT races