Focus Gaming News spoke with Vee Moodley, Chief Executive of the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa, and Arnold Hyde, Racing Control Executive, about the challenges currently facing the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Exclusive interview.- For many years, horse racing was the only legal form of gambling <\/strong>in South Africa. The activity enjoyed great popularity, with racecourses often packed with people enjoying the races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, this changed completely with the arrival of casinos and sports betting, and a shift in bettors’ preferences, particularly among younger audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To learn more about horse racing, the challenges the industry faces and its prospects for the future, Focus Gaming News spoke to Vee Moodley<\/strong>, chief executive, and Arnold Hyde<\/strong>, racing control executive, of the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (NHA)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are the main challenges currently facing the horseracing industry in Southern Africa?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Moodley: <\/strong>When horseracing was first established, it was the only legal form of betting in South Africa. The business model was based on pari-mutuel wagering, and as the sole legal gambling option, there was ample funding for the sport to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, in the 1990s, the introduction of casinos and the rise of bookmakers offering fixed-odds betting and the “open bet” significantly changed the landscape.<\/strong> The market share for horseracing diminished as other forms of gambling, such as football and lottery betting, became more popular due to their simplicity and accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To put it into perspective: in 2002, gambling turnover in South Africa was R$100bn (US$5.6bn)<\/strong>. By 2025, it had exceeded R$1tn (U$56bn), with horse racing accounting for only about R$11bn (U$616m), just 1 per cent of the total, making the traditional business model unsustainable. New revenue streams must be found, such as intellectual property rights, sponsorships, and gate-taking, although the latter are minimal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In summary, the main challenge is that the old business model is no longer viable<\/strong>, and the industry must adapt to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hyde: <\/strong>To add to that, beyond betting-related challenges, the horse population decreased after Covid-19, as many people faced financial difficulties and left the industry. This has led to smaller field sizes and a need to carefully adjust the fixture list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another challenge is attracting a new audience<\/strong>, particularly younger people, as most current owners and enthusiasts are middle-aged or older. The industry must find ways to engage the younger generation, who are accustomed to instant gratification and have many other entertainment options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How does the NHA prioritise the safety and welfare of horses and jockeys, and what specific measures are in place to help prevent accidents?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hyde: <\/strong>It’s quite a simple dynamic and formula that we adopt for the safety and welfare of the horses and jockeys. It’s one of the few sports in the world where the equine and human elements merge into one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the NHA, we say we are the voice of the horse<\/strong>, as they cannot speak for themselves. We ensure they receive the highest standard of care, not only during races but also in training yards, with regular inspections and veterinary oversight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We conduct out-of-competition testing to ensure horses are healthy and free from prohibited substances. On race days, our officials and veterinarians check horses before and after each race, ensuring they are properly equipped and fit to compete. During races, our professional stewards monitor for any dangerous situations<\/strong> and enforce penalties when necessary, always striving for a balance between competition and safety. We also review race footage to ensure compliance with the rules and align with international best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the jockey gets on the horse, he puts his life in its hands. We want the horses and jockeys to perform to the best of their ability, but always in a safe environment where they can both return home after the race \u2014 the jockey to his family and the horse to his stable at the training yard \u2014 without suffering any injuries or mishaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We want the horses and jockeys to perform to the best of their ability, but always in a safe environment where they can both return home after the race.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arnold Hyde, racing control executive of the NHA.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n What systems or protocols does the NHA have in place to ensure the integrity of horseracing and prevent betting-related scandals?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Moodley: <\/strong>Integrity goes beyond just regulation on race day. We are full members of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA)<\/strong>, the Asian Racing Federation (ARF)<\/strong>, and signatories to the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing, and Wagering (IABRW)<\/strong>. These affiliations are critical\u2014they ensure our rules are harmonised globally, which in turn supports international betting on our product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arnold sits on the Committee for the Harmonisation of Racing Rules<\/strong>, which is very important because our international reputation is based on that. We are in the premier league of horse racing in the world. Most of our turnover is done internationally. So, we sell our pictures overseas. In order for the pictures to be sold overseas, the product must be legitimate. Our affiliations and registrations are quite strong. If we fail in that aspect, everything else falls apart, so it’s all about integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We also have a dedicated team for betting monitoring. We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with international and local exchanges, betting companies, and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA)<\/strong>. We monitor betting patterns independently from the stewards, and if anything suspicious is detected, we investigate it in conjunction with the race stewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to rule infringements, are there set guidelines or tariffs the NHA follows when imposing penalties, or is each case judged on its individual merits?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hyde: <\/strong>We follow processes of natural justice. Every charged party is informed of the charges and given the right to respond. South Africa is one of the few jurisdictions to offer an “admission of guilt” system, to streamline proceedings, but there is always the right to a formal inquiry and appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have a set of penalty guidelines to ensure consistency. Additionally, we have an Inquiry Review Board to review cases and ensure fairness. If necessary, decisions can be taken to the courts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In cases involving prohibited substances, the panel includes a veterinary surgeon, a legally qualified person, and another expert to ensure the highest level of technical competence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How is the NHA leveraging technology to improve the horseracing experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Moodley: <\/strong>We use technology in all aspects, starting from the breeding stage. We’ve partnered with the University of Pretoria and use microchips and DNA profiling to register foals. This data is captured in our systems via a dedicated app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On race days, officials use scanners to verify microchips, ensuring accurate identification. We also employ technology in betting monitoring and are continually acquiring new software to enhance integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of our major innovations is the Virtual Boardroom<\/strong>, which allows stewards from across the country to participate in race-day regulation remotely, increasing efficiency and oversight without incurring additional costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hyde: <\/strong>The ideal situation would be to have ultrasound scanners and X-ray machines everywhere, but given the difficult economic situation, we do the best we can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We had to consider how we could ensure the best possible surveillance coverage around the country within tight budgets. So, we took advantage of technology by introducing what we call a “virtual boardroom”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Virtual Boardroom replicates a stewards\u2019 room anywhere in the country but is based at our head office in Johannesburg. It enables us to monitor races from all regions, using live feeds, patrol films, and direct communication with on-site officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the virtual boardroom<\/strong>, we’ve added the ability for inquiry reporters to type out documents without being in the relevant centre. For example, you might have a race meeting in Port Elizabeth, but the stipendiary steward could be transcribing the report from Cape Town. Likewise, the virtual boardroom allows us to conduct inquiries in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the inquiry reporter could be in another part of the world. The reporter could be in the Virtual Boardroom in Johannesburg, but the inquiry reporter might be in another part of South Africa, such as Cape Town or Durban. This has increased our ability to provide the highest levels of regulation without incurring additional expenses or increasing our staff complement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town, which we hosted in 2020, I was fortunate enough to give a presentation on our Virtual Boardroom. It received a lot of interest, and I still get many queries to this day from jurisdictions looking to manage their finances while providing the same level of regulation that their customers, the betting public, and of course the stakeholders, have become accustomed to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think the dream, in the future, is to have stewards from various parts of the world collaborating on race days<\/strong> through virtual means, which would further harmonise global standards. With technology constantly improving, I think it’s highly likely that this will one day become a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, technology is constantly advancing. As Mr Moodley said, we now use microchip scanners to identify horses, whereas, in the old days, we had to do it physically. I’m sure you’ve heard stories of horses being painted white on their legs to make them look like a certain horse, but now we have microchips that provide instantaneous information about a horse. We can then check that it is the right horse against a database. This is not only great for racing, but also when we find a horse that might not be in a great state on a farm or somewhere in the bush. We can trace where that horse comes from, who bred it, who owned it and who last trained it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Technology is all important, and we would certainly like to follow and improve on progress in this regard. As I’ve said before, this happens almost on a daily basis in the modern world in which we live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What steps is the NHA taking to increase the international competitiveness of Southern African horseracing and attract top-tier owners and horses?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Moodley: <\/strong>South Africa, through the NHA, is part of the “Part One” of the Blue Book<\/strong>, which means our breed is in the premier league of global horseracing. As I previously said, we are full members of the IFHA, the ARF, and signatories to key international agreements, which underpins our status as a world-class regulator. Our international competitiveness is based on our reputation for integrity and adherence to global standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A major obstacle in recent years was African horse sickness<\/strong>, which restricted our ability to export horses. However, since last March, the EU protocol has been lifted, and our horses are now free to travel and compete internationally. South Africa offers excellent value for money in breeding, and our horses have a strong track record abroad. Now that export restrictions have been lifted, we expect to see even greater international participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We shouldn’t forget that, given our international ratings and exchange rates, we can produce a horse at almost one-twelfth of the price of a horse produced in Ireland or England. So, in terms of value for money, you can’t beat South Africa. Around 10 or 15 years ago, we were able to export our horses. We had a leading trainer in Dubai for five or six years: Mike de Kock<\/strong>, who is from South Africa. South African horses dominated Dubai for a long time until we were prevented from travelling there. Now that the doors have opened again, we can compete internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “South Africa, through the NHA, is part of the “Part One” of the Blue Book, which means our breed is in the premier league of global horseracing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vee Moodley, chief executive of the NHA.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Hyde: <\/strong>It is also important to communicate to the world that we provide a platform for people to pursue their interests, whether they are jockeys, trainers or owners. We are very interested in investing in it, but our challenge is to share this information with international jurisdictions<\/strong>. Even though we are in the most southern part of the world, we have a very vibrant racing product and very qualified people within the sport. I think this is evident from the successes that our people have enjoyed around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most recently, one of our trainers, Brett Crawford<\/strong>, has been invited to take up a training position in Hong Kong. He’ll be starting there next season and is already setting up his training establishment in the east. A number of our jockeys, stewards and owners are sending horses to other jurisdictions, so we are competitive. We are in line with best practices in terms of rules, policies and procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Vee said, we are on various committees, so we are in the Premier League of Racing<\/strong>. We have a number of portals that we use to get our message out, such as social media, Facebook, Instagram, etc. But I think the all-important part, and the challenge we have is to get more information out to the rest of the world. We have a really great product here in South Africa, with really good, well-qualified people, and our product is top-notch. That is the message we need to get out because we are competitive internationally in every aspect of the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moodley: <\/strong>From an operational perspective, our licensing committee is internationally recognised. A jockey\u2019s licence issued in South Africa is valid worldwide, and suspensions are reciprocated internationally. Our rules are fully aligned with global standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What can attendees look forward to at the 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hyde:<\/strong> From a regulatory perspective, attendees can expect safe and competitive racing, with all horses free from prohibited substances and racing on a level playing field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve also introduced TCO2 testing <\/strong>to ensure a level playing field for all horses participating in a race, which I think is very important. Attendees may go for the social aspect, but many will also bet on the races, and they need the reassurance that their bets are legitimate and that their selection has an equal chance of winning as any other horse in the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The testing is not only on the urine and blood testing, but we’ve also introduced TCO2 testing to ensure that the alkaline levels are within the correct parameters and that no horse has an unfair advantage<\/strong>. This is very important if we’re going to attract people to our racing, we need to ensure that the horses and jockeys are looked after and that people have the comfort of knowing that their money is being put into a selection that has as good a chance as any other horse in the race. That’s important for fairness and a level playing field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moodley: <\/strong>The Hollywoodbets Durban July is part of the World Pool, meaning that betting pools from around the world are combined for this race, resulting in a massive international turnover. This is only possible because of the integrity and transparency we maintain, and our strong international connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Focus Gaming News spoke with Vee Moodley, Chief Executive of the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa, and Arnold Hyde, Racing Control Executive, about the challenges currently facing the industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":176,"featured_media":4380,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"is_press_release":false,"is_interview":true,"is_opinion":false,"focusai_summary":"The Southern African horseracing industry faces significant challenges, including a drastic decline in market share due to competition from casinos and sports betting, rendering its traditional pari-mutuel business model unsustainable. The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (NHA) highlights the urgent need for new revenue streams and strategies to attract younger audiences, alongside its ongoing commitment to horse and jockey welfare through stringent regulatory oversight.","focusai_entities":"Vee Moodley, Arnold Hyde, National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa, NHA, Focus Gaming News","focusai_location":"Southern Africa, South Africa","focusai_target_profile":"ceo_executive (0.9), regulator (0.95), compliance_legal (0.85), operator_casino (0.7), marketing_crm (0.75), investor_analyst (0.9), supplier_vendor (0.7), journalist_researcher (0.9)","focusai_suggestions":[{"label":"New Revenue Streams","query":"What specific intellectual property rights or sponsorship models is the NHA exploring to diversify revenue beyond traditional pari-mutuel wagering, and what is the projected timeline for their implementation?"},{"label":"Attracting New Audiences","query":"Beyond general engagement, what targeted digital strategies or product innovations are being considered to attract and retain younger demographics accustomed to instant gratification in the Southern African horseracing market?"}],"footnotes":""},"categories":[60301,60011],"tags":[60345,78],"class_list":["post-4362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews","category-south-africa","tag-national-horseracing-authority-of-southern-africa","tag-sports-betting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/176"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4362"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4362\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4389,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4362\/revisions\/4389"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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