Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963

7 Restriction of betting on dog racecourses

(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, on any day on which a track is being used as a dog racecourse, betting by way of bookmaking or by means of a totalisator on the results of dog races shall not take place on that track—

(a) in connection with more than eight races; or

(b) otherwise than during one continuous period not exceeding four hours.

(2) In relation to any day fixed as a special betting day for the purposes of this subsection under paragraph 14 of Schedule 3 to this Act by the licensing authority within whose area the track falls, the foregoing subsection shall have effect as if—

(a) for the word " eight" there were substituted the word " sixteen "; and

(b) for the words " one continuous period not exceeding four hours " there were substituted the words " a period or periods not exceeding eight hours in the aggregate ".

(3) If bookmaking is carried on or a totalisator is operated by any person on any track in contravention of this section, that person and, if that person is not the occupier of the track, that occupier also, shall be guilty of an offence:

Provided that where the occupier of a track is charged with an offence by reason of a contravention of this section on the part of another person, it shall be a defence for him to prove that the contravention occurred without his consent or connivance and that he exercised all due diligence to prevent it.