CHAI began its campaign to ban gambling on horse racing in Israel in 2006, when plans were announced to bring as many as 2,000 horses to Israel and to initiate gambling on horse races. Between 2006 and 2012, through demonstrations, interviews and articles in the media and one-on-one meetings, CHAI and its sister charity in Israel, Hakol Chai, educated the public, government officials, and Knesset members about the cruelties involved in this industry based on greed. CHAI also met with environmental organizations and organizations that help gambling addicts, to enlist their support.

In 2012, the government decided to allow gambling on horse racing online and on slot machines, but not on race tracks in Israel. Over the succeeding years, Israel earned almost $122 million from online and slot machine gambling, but as CHAI had warned, the social cost of gambling was high (regulatory costs, crime, unemployment, help to broken families, counseling, illness, suicide, reduced taxes due to lost jobs and houses, etc.) The Finance Minister and the Justice Ministry’s Director-General announced their intention to ban online and slot machine gambling on horse races.

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said money from gambling on racing is “tainted” and Israel didn’t need it: “Israel’s weakest and poorest are being sold illusions and false hopes every day….It is no coincidence that these gambling machines are found mostly in poor neighborhoods….and that on the 28th of the month, the day people receive stipends, Mifal Hapayis (the national lottery) revenues rise dramatically.

GBI Racing, the company contracted to provide tv footage of the UK races to bars and other places in Israel sued for breach of contract. Israel agreed to pay GBI $6.6 million dollars to terminate their contract.

In January 2018, Israel officially banned gambling on horse racing in legislation contained in the Budget Arrangements Law.