- Horse racing at Hastings Park Racecourse in Vancouver, British Columbia is set to close after 130 years of operation.
- The government pulled slot revenue machine revenue from Hastings Racecourse, ultimately ending the declining horse racing industry in British Columbia.
- There are currently no horses stabled at Hastings since the thoroughbred season is from April to October, but members of the community must reassess their future.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – After 130 years of thoroughbred horse racing, Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver is set to close. Hastings was the last facility with horse betting in British Columbia.
Hastings Racecourse and Casino announced that the end of horse racing at their location is effective immediately. While the historical significance of Hastings is prominent in the community, regional vice president of the Great Canadian Entertainment Wayne Odegard, said that this was a business decision based on economic uncertainty.
Pulled Slots Funding Leads To BC Horse Racing Demise
Just a week before Hastings Racecourse announced their closure, they were informed by the provincial government that the horse racing industry will no longer receive slot machine revenue. The revenue partnership between horse racing or legal sports betting and the physical casino is critical for horse racing to exist, and slot revenue going to the horse racing industry was evaluated at $8 to $10 million annually.
While all of British Columbia’s horse racing tracks are closed, their associating casinos remain open. Declining numbers for horse betting in Canada and increasing profits for casinos lead to the government and casino subsidizing a declining sport, but thousands of jobs in British Columbia rely on the thoroughbred horse racing industry.
Many locals in Vancouver are frustrated since companies often promise to support horse racing in exchange for a physical casino, but that relationship has consistently faltered over the years. Funding cut offs from the province resulted in the demise of Hastings Racecourse and other locations earlier this year, while casinos continue to thrive.
