House passes bill to end Oregon’s role in greyhound wagering; sponsors say package will backfill racing and fairground funds

The Oregon House passed House Bill 30 20 on third reading, a bill that prohibits Oregon-licensed advanced-deposit wagering (ADW) hubs from accepting bets on greyhound races held outside the state.

Representative David Gomberg, the carrier on the floor, described the legislation as "a compromise I don't like very much," and urged colleagues to support it to end Oregon’s involvement in wagers on greyhound racing. Gomberg said the hubs that remain in Oregon currently take bets on races held in other countries and states, and he criticized long-standing licensing terms that have not been renegotiated in about 20 years. He said the licensing return to the state is "about 50¢ on every $100 that is wagered."

Representative Neeron, speaking in favor of the bill, said ADW hubs processed "over $83,000,000 in advanced deposit wagering" in 2023 and that greyhound racing accounted for "only 1.3% of total ADW revenue in Oregon," or about "$72,547." Neeron argued the relatively small revenue did not justify continuing to facilitate greyhound wagering, and cited animal-welfare concerns: "Greyhounds are repeatedly found with performance enhancing drugs...abused, neglected, trained with live bait, and experienced high rates of injury and death." The transcript records a citation that "10,542 Greyhound injuries and deaths were reported at tracks around the world that use the Oregon online betting system" in 2023.

Several members framed HB 30 20 as one piece of a three-bill package to mitigate fiscal impacts on county fairgrounds and the Racing Commission. Representative Wallin and Gomberg described House Bill 31 01 (HB 3101) as a backfill measure that would provide $10,000,000 to county fairs and $1,600,000 to support the horse-racing industry. Gomberg also noted a separate measure (HB 30 23) under committee review that would allow the Racing Commission to retain more licensing fees (he cited $1,700,000) rather than those receipts moving to the general fund; that measure remained under review in Commerce and Consumer Protection at the time of the floor vote.

Gomberg said HB 30 20 does not eliminate wagering hubs entirely — "They will continue to take bets on horse racing, and...that's where the great majority of the money is." He said the bill removes only greyhound wagers and that implementation timing had been stretched to allow related budgeting decisions to move through the short session.

Representative Smith and others described the passage as the product of negotiation; Smith called the bill "what you get when folks come together with different views, but with the willingness to work together."

The clerk opened the voting system; the clerk then announced that HB 30 20 "having received the constitutional majority is declared passed." The transcript does not include a roll-call vote listing each member's vote on the final passage; the clerk’s announcement states the bill received the required majority.

Implementation and next steps: floor sponsors said the caucus expects HB 3101 and HB 30 23 to move through committee and Ways and Means to provide the anticipated backfill and fee-retention answers. The Racing Commission and Ways and Means will likely be asked to model revenue impacts and recommend adjustments if needed.

Quotes from the transcript: • "Let me be clear at the outset. I hate this bill. I mean, I really do." — Representative David Gomberg (closing remarks on HB 30 20). • "In 2023 alone, the Oregon hub processed over $83,000,000 in advanced deposit wagering...Greyhound racing accounted for only 1.3% ... $72,547 in revenue." — Representative Neeron.

Outcome: HB 30 20 passed on final reading; sponsors described a three-bill package intended to end greyhound wagering while addressing budgetary impacts to the racing commission and county fairgrounds.