Ellis - Contributed TERRY ELLIS, director of operations at the London-based Satellite Information Services (SIS), providers of English Racing on simulcast to local bookmakers and Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), said Jamaica is one of its key overseas markets.
Ellis, who earlier this week paid a three-day visit to the island to showcase new products and systems which he believes will revolutionise the English Racing market in Jamaica, met with representatives of the United Bookmakers Association (UBA), including president Xavier Chin and also the top brass at Caymanas Track Limited, sole promoters of horse racing in Jamaica.
According to the man who holds the second highest post as SIS, he is here to update his clients on a new more powerful signal which will come directly from England rather than diverted through the Philadelphia Hub in the United States as is now the case.
"There is a lot happening on the service and Jamaica is one of our key overseas markets", he said when asked about the purpose of his visit, his first to Jamaica.
"Effective December 1, the service will be received directly from the UK on a 12 foot dish and will not have to go through America via Philadelphia any more.
"It will be more efficient and reliable and will come at no additional costs to our clients", he disclosed.
Ellis explained that there will be more products on the system, such as virtual horse and greyhound racing for betting purposes, both computer generated systems. He said the virtual horse racing has taken off in the United Kingdom since it was introduced 18 months ago.
He also had important news for CTL and the five bookmaking companies that carry live English Racing six days a week.
Ellis disclosed that come next year, provision has been made for 70 additional meetings throughout Britain, especially on Sundays. Most of these are Flat racing and the increase in the number of meets will significantly enhance evening racing in the summer.
SIMULCASTING
He said Sunday meets will be increased from 19 to 48 next year and SIS will be fully involved in simulcasting to its large clientele in France, Russia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Sri Lanka, Malasia, Poland, South Africa, Hong Kong and the Caribbean.
Surprisingly, Ellis revealed that SIS does not simulcast to America which promotes its own products as well as Australia, owing to a diverse time line.
On Tuesday he met with representatives of Track Price Plus, Champion, Markham, Ideal and Summit, the five companies which carry English racing locally.
Ellis had inform talks with the CEO of Track Price Plus Xavier Chin at the company's New Kingston head offices on Thursday and both said the talks were fruitful.
He said he was pleased with the overall response and went on to explain:
"The people I met here were very receptive but frustrated because they cannot open on Sunday to exploit the new opportunities.
SUNDAY RACING
"While I support Sunday racing, I will concede that it has to be done responsibly to protest the young and vulnerable.
"Betting regulations in Jamaica today are 40 years behind the UK", he noted.
"There is a real risk that if this is not modernised and updated, the local betting and racing industry will die as gambling moves offshore (via internet and telephone) and into the hands of the illegal operator.
"The government has a great opportunity to take a leap forward by following the example of the UK which is a true role model for the Jamaican industry.
"The changes they should look at in the industry is, specifically, to a gross profit tax in betting. In the UK that tax increased betting turnover by 40 per cent since it was implemented two years ago and created many jobs in the process".
The tax on profit tax found favour with Xavier Chin who was quick to point out that while CTL plays a seven per cent tax on English racing, the bookmakers pay 11 per cent for the same product which he said is grossly unfair as there is no risk factor in the CTL operations as it is tote driven.
Ellis, meanwhile, threw out a challenge to officials of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission, Jamaica Racing Commission and to the Minister in charge of racing, Fitz Jackson, to come England and he would personally show them the benefits of how racing operates in that country.
Orville Clarke
