NHBPA Considers Offshore Hub
The National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association took a major step this week toward establishing its own offshore betting hub by making Electronic Data Resources its first corporate sponsor.
Electronic Data Resources specializes in the equine industry and provides related businesses with the ability to efficiently accept credit card transactions and offers its services at wholesale
prices.
The NHBPA continues to evaluate whether it's feasible to open up an offshore betting hub. Doing so would help recuperate some of the betting handle that's going offshore.
JC and ABA Sign MOU
The U.K. Jockey Club and the Association of British Bookmakers announced this week a joint memorandum of understanding to share betting-related information and help protect the integrity of horse racing.
The agreement will not be as far-reaching as that the one signed be betting exchanges in June and was claimed by bookmakers to be a "formalization" of existing procedures.
Under the agreement signed with Betfair and Sporting Options in June, exchange bettors were compelled to surrender their legal right to confidentiality under the Data Protection Act.
The ABB agreement, however, is subject to the Data Protection Act, under which information can be released in connection with the prevention or detection of crime.
Aussie Racecourses Continue Talks with Sky Channel
Sydney and Melbourne race clubs have asked Tab Limited for an extension of its current television contract with Sky Channel; this would buy them more time to decide which broadcaster should cover their meetings in the future.
The tracks, through their mediator, ThoroughVisioN, sent a letter to Sky in an effort to continue live racing beyond the March 4 deadline.
Sky Channel is contracted to broadcast race meetings in Sydney until then, but with ThoroughVisioN still deliberating over proposals from five broadcast suitors, the clubs don't want to rush into a decision that will have widespread ramifications.
The broadcasting decision will dictate the long-term earning capacity of clubs in Sydney and Melbourne and it will set a precedent that clubs in other states will follow.
MGM Mirage Boosts Stake in Racing
Already slated to construct a video lottery terminal parlor at Aqueduct, MGM Mirage last week announced its intentions to buy the company that owns Lincoln Park greyhound track in Rhode Island, Arapahoe Park (a thoroughbred track) and three dog tracks in Colorado.
MGM Mirage will reportedly spend about $490 million for Wembley, a British company with holdings in the United States.
Lincoln Park has more than 2,200 slot machines and is considered among the most successful racinos in the country. Wembley last year failed to win approval for alternative gaming at its four Colorado tracks.
Autotote to Launch Channel in Connecticut
Autotote's long-awaited racing channel is set to debut Feb. 4 in southern Connecticut; the company said it's only the first step toward a 12-hour-a-day production
"Racing Live" will air daily from 9 p.m. to 11p.m. on Cablevision's Channel 84, the New Haven Register reports. Autotote also operates Connecticut Off-Track Betting.
Cablevision covers Woodbridge, Orange, Milford, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Easton, Redding, Weston, Westport, Wilton, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Stamford and Greenwich. Autotote is in negotiations with Cox Cable, Comcast and Charter Communications.
Live racing will be available at the outset from tracks such as Delta Downs, Derby Lane, Los Alamitos, Meadowlands, Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort, Northfield Park and Sam Houston Race Park.
Snow Sorm doesn't Hamper Debut of NY Racino
The tail end of a snowstorm did not prevent hundreds of people from lining up outside the main entrances at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway Wednesday morning for the opening of New York state's first racetrack video lottery terminal casino.
The opening came two years and three months after the passing of legislation allowing VLTs at Aqueduct, Finger Lakes and the state's six standardbred tracks.
Finger Lakes will be the first thoroughbred track with VLTs when it unveils its VLT parlor casino on Feb. 11. A similar VLT casino at Aqueduct will not open until late this year at the earliest.
A huge crowd braved the cold and waited outside for the doors to opening and madness ensued as thousands of visitors headed straight towards one of the 1,323 VLTs when the doors opened.
Saratoga Gaming and Raceway invested $15 million to renovate its facility.
Wednesday evening's featured race at Saratoga, the Filly and Mare Open Pace, had a purse of $6,000--$2,000 more than it was the week before.
Saratoga Gaming and Raceway General Manager Skip Carlson said he expects overnight purses, which were $20,000 to $23,000 last week, to double by mid March and reach $60,000 by April.