Howard Hamilton

Last week we looked at how the racing industry has had to cope with the increasing competition for the leisure dollar. This week we continue the discussion on the possibilities for Jamaica to develop its racing industry and strengthen it so that racing can grow and prosper.

There is much migration in the world today and technology, satellites and, in racing's case, simulcasting is enabling racing from different countries to be beamed around the globe.

You will find all nationalities and races in betting shops and OTBs all over the world with one thing in common — everyone loves to pick a winner and enjoys the thrill of the races.

Ask the owner, the breeder, the promoter and they will tell you racing is a fantastic sport. Ask the bookmaker and they tell you racing is a fantastic betting product.

The answer is that neither can survive alone, racing needs betting and betting needs racing for future prosperity everywhere in the world today.

This question has been pondered the world over to ensure racing's longevity rather than its decline into the virtual world of computer graphics and random number generated races that today is virtual racing.

Owners, breeders, promoters, bookmakers, regulators and Government need to work together to put on a great show for the public and ensure racing's future against an ever increasing reason for public to spend their leisure dollar on something else.

There needs to be a balance and a trust between the parties if growth and unity is to succeed.

The breeders supply the horses; they want better bloodstock and higher prices for their foals or yearlings.

This can only happen through more confidence by owners, a strong economy, good purses and higher quality mares and stallions capable of performing on a local or world stage.

The owners pay the fees so they desire a first-class track with facilities to match and a programme where they have a chance of good purses to help cover their costs.

This can only happen by more investment and reinvestment by either reallocation of taxes both direct or indirect in the form of levies or commercial arrangements with bookmakers for the product and the show put on by the track.

Important facets

Investment in people who previously worked in the Industry and the creation of jobs worldwide are all important facets of the mix that is racing today.

The promoters and track put on the show and need to ensure enough income to be profitable and pay its staff, reinvest for the future in facilities for the public and ensure good purses to encourage competitive racing.

This can only happen if the public comes to the racetrack, the owners, breeders and trainers continue to supply competitive racing and the Gambling Commissioners give the public the confidence that racing is straight and everyone has a fair chance.

The public bets on the horses and wants racing to be regulated, with good information to help in handicapping the action, more ways to bet in a comfortable environment either at the bookmakers, in their own home or at the track. They want a fair return with more money paid back in winnings which in turn encourages the churn effect.

This can happen in many ways, by putting tote terminals side by side with lottery terminals or betting shop terminals. Giving the bookmakers the opportunity and desire to want to bet into the National and International pools and creating exciting bet types with big and fair payouts to encourage tote betting to sit side by side with fixed odds betting.

In a free economy its about choice and ease of entry.

Moving on with technology and enabling telephone betting, Internet betting, account wagering, credit betting, betting using credit or debit cards but at the same time strong regulation to protect minors and disadvantaged groups under a well licensed and policed regime.

The U.K. betting shops have introduced fixed odds betting terminals to help offset a lower margin in horse racing. In the U.K. each betting outlet is allowed three slot machines or random number generated roulette machines.

In the U.S.A. more and more racetracks are getting slot machines that are taxed at an average of 50 per cent to pay for schooling and health care but at the same time still giving enough profits to see purses grow exponentially and racetracks re invest in infrastructure and facilities.

Take a look at Gulfstream Park in Florida whose opening day with slots took over US$350,000 or Philadelphia Park who will move to grade 1 track status since introducing slots and raising purses from the income.

There are many ways to fund racing and I hope and pray it survives and prospers for many many years to come and that Jamaica can find its own unique way of helping the industry survive and grow.