Racing Victoria Places Ban on Betting to Lose

The Board of Racing Victoria Limited has made new local rules to protect the integrity of Victorian thoroughbred racing. These rules will apply to our syndicate and partnership owners. Under these rules, which apply in Victoria and have immediate effect, trainers, owners and other persons who have access to horses are prevented from backing their horses to lose.

The new local rules are set out in full below.

LR 66A
(1) A trainer must not lay any horse under his care, control or supervision.

(2) Any person employed by a trainer in connection with the training or care of racehorses must not lay a horse under the control of the trainer for whom he is or was employed, whilst so employed and for a period of 21 days after ceasing to be so.

(3) A nominator* must not lay any horse that is or may be entered by him or on his behalf, provided that a bookmaker may lay a horse in accordance with their licence.

(4) A rider’s agent must not lay any horse to be ridden by a rider he is agent for.

(5) Any person who has provided a service or services connected with the keeping, training or racing of a horse must not, within 21 days of having last done so, lay any such horse.

LR 66B
In circumstances where it is an offence for a person to lay a horse under LR 66A, it shall also be an offence for that person to:

(a) have a horse laid on their behalf; or

(b) receive any monies or other valuable consideration in any way connected with the laying of the horse by another person.

LR 66C
For the purposes of LR 66A and 66B, “lay” means the placing of a bet, whether directly or indirectly, on a horse to lose a race.

* Under the Rules of Racing, a “nominator” means any owner of a horse or, if the horse is leased, any lessee of the horse, and includes syndicate members. Please note that in Western Australia, betting on exchanges is totally prohibited.