NYRA Struggles
New York Racing Association (NYRA) President Charles Hayward says that the association is in such financial trouble that it will "go bust" by the end of November unless it sells land. Hayward told Gov. George Pataki's new NYRA oversight board that the association needs $15 to $20 million from the sale of property near Aqueduct racetrack to survive.
Ontario Racing Struggles
Western Fair's chief operations officer says that dealing with the problematic issue of offshore gaming (which, he contends, is stealing millions from Ontario tracks) is one of his top priorities as the raceway gets set to open next week. Hugh Mitchell told the London Free Press that the track's handle of about $2.5 million for the meet ending in June was down almost 8 percent from the 2003-2004 meet. Mitchell, who was senior vice president of racing with the Woodbine Entertainment Group until April when he accepted his post at Western Fair, said the problem was definitely more pronounced at Woodbine. It's estimated that as much as $100 million is being lost annually to offshore operations at Woodbine alone. "They'd come and literally poach customers on site," Mitchell said. "They'd sign them up and . . . the more they wager, the more they rebate." The onus, he added, is on every track to make sure they are sending their simulcast product to legitimate receivers. "We need to go the extra mile to know and understand whose receiving the product and ensuring that they're paying their respective horsemen accordingly," he said.
IFHA Kitemarks
Members of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) have introduced a kitemark standard for which online betting operators can apply. The kitemark is a certification mark that offers proof that a product or service complies with the relevant publicly available specification(s). To gain the IFHA Racing Trust Mark, which costs €1,000, operators must prove they adhere to the two principles set out in Article 28 of the International Agreement, which was thrashed out and signed at last year's annual Paris conference. The agreement states that gambling services should not be offered to residents of countries where doing so is illegal, and that no operator should use a country's horseracing product for betting purposes without the express consent of the race organizer or its rights holder. Britain's two IFHA members, the BHB and Jockey Club, signed up to the agreement, but were aware that home-based operators would still be regarded as beyond the pale in many countries whose residents bet on U.K. racing at several home-based online sites. IFHA president Louis Romanet said the body would treat each application on its merits, while pointing out that awarding a Trust Mark would require unanimous support among members. "None of the music operators has any interest in sustaining the product," Romanet explained, "and that applies equally to illegal bookmakers, who pay nothing for the product but gain all of the benefits."
Tassie Bookies Cleared of Charges
A Tasmanian racing inquiry has cleared a bookmaker of illegally using Betfair at the Elwick Showgrounds in August. The inquiry found that while bookmaker Barry Heawood was monitoring Betfair at the racetrack, there was no evidence that he placed any bets on the Internet exchange. Betfair could not provide any evidence due to privacy laws. Director of racing Tony Murray acknowledged that Heawood would have escaped on a technicality in any case because bets on Betfair's Internet server officially take place in the United Kingdom and not in Tasmania. Murray said all Tasmanian bookmakers will be banned from using any Internet betting exchange at a racecourse.
More OTB in Illinois
The Niles Herald-Spectator reports that the Niles Village Board has approved an off-track betting facility at Golf Hill in Niles, Illinois. The establishment is still awaiting licensure by the Illinois Racing Board. OTB licenses are issued annually. Citizens were given the opportunity to express concerns and support for the project during the Sept. 12 meeting of the Niles Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.
Victorian Law Designed to Ban Betfair
A new law that took effect in Victoria on Oct. 12 makes it illegal for a wagering company to publish Victorian thoroughbred racing fields without the permission of Racing Victoria. The legislation, an amendment to the Racing and Gambling Acts, is an apparent attempt to ban British betting exchange Betfair, and its approval guidelines contain language citing "integrity" as an important consideration. There is no clear definition of what constitutes integrity or lack thereof, but Racing Victoria will have the task of evaluating which companies uphold the integrity of racing.