Horse racing has been a big part of Canadian sport for a while, faltering in the last few years because of various reasons, the biggest being a government decision that derailed the industry to a large extent. The numbers speak for themselves when it comes to the horse racing industry: while the entire Canadian horse industry contributes $19.6 billion annually (according to a study conducted in 2012) to the economy of Canada, racing horses, which are just 5% of the total Canadian horse industry, contribute a staggering 29% of the revenue generated by the horse industry annually ($5.7 billion). The biggest market for horse racing in Canada is in Ontario. In 2010, it contributed about $4.5 billion or 77% of the $5.7 billion revenue generated by the industry. Racing has been big in Canada: studies show that this segment actually is a leading sponsor when it comes to equine research in terms of both performance and reproductive health issues for the horses. More about Horse Racing in CanadaHorse racing in Canada is different from how it is in many other countries across the world. For a long time, horse racing was just one of the features at a race track. Prominent fixtures one could find at the race tracks included giant video screens and also a large number of slot machines. The latter is also one of the reasons why horse racing saw a slump of sorts in the country in recent years. Races here include thoroughbred races and also standardbred races, besides harness racing. Harness racing has a rich history and goes back more than 100 years. In 2012, the government of Ontario, which is where a large amount of horse racing action was happening, banned the slot machines at the venues. Viewership was already going down from the 1990s and the banning of the slot machines saw a drastic dip in attendance, Slot machines were introduced at venues in 1998 and while they did result in a boost in revenues, horse racing itself still in limbo. The industry itself benefitted monetarily: purses rose from $81 million in 1998 to $189 million in 2002 for harness racing. For thoroughbred racing, the numbers were lower but still showed a significant spike – from $45 million in 1998 to $112 million in 2002. It also brought in new investors. The bubble burst in 2012 once the machines were banned. With the banning of the machines, investors started pulling out and the core people of the industry were outraged by the events. Of late, there have been promises of interim funding for some of the tracks. A draft report actually suggested a means of funding – venues with more customers would get more funding – and also suggested a reduction in the number of harness tracks to five. Today, Canadian racetracks are hosting outings for the public, including family nights, tours, and also offering tutorials on betting. Things are looking better, but there is doubt about whether they will be able to get back to where they were a couple of decades ago. Canadian Horse Racing and Betting Resources: Standard Bread Canada - Among the best horse racing and horse betting resources for Canadians.
Website Address: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/ Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame - Provides recognition to horses, horse racers and tracks throughout Canada.
Website Address: http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/ Famous Horses and Tracks from CanadaThere have been quite a few big names when it comes to horses in Canada, but it doesn’t get bigger than Northern Dancer. He won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Queen’s Plate in 1964 and later became the most successful thoroughbred sire of the 20th century. His son, Nijinsky II, is the last horse to have won the English Triple Crown. When it comes to race tracks, one of the most well-known is the Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, established in 1956. It is home of the leading thoroughbred race in Canada, Queen’s Plate, and also the North America Cup, the leading race for Standardbred horses. It is also the only track in North America to host both Thoroughbred and Standardbred races on the same day. In terms of purses, the largest purse in a Canadian horse race is offered by the Pattinson Canadian International. Some of the other important races in the country include Woodbine Oaks, Prince of Wales Stakes, Breeder’s Stakes, and the Canadian Derby. Online Casinos and Other Gambling In CanadaThe future is bright for online casinos and gambling in Canada in particular for those who reside in British Columbia and in Ontario. BC is the first province to officially license and regulate online casino gaming. Although at first the Play Now initiative which is the BC government online casino and gambling portal had massive security issues since that time they have resolved all issues and now offer a sound, compelling, secure and reliable platform for BC residence to engage in "legal" online gambling. Ontario has been somewhat slower to modernize their online gambling initiatives and although they have been in the works for some time they have yet to release an online gambling solution. By mid 2015 the beginning of 2016 it is said that the OLG will have a fully functional platform implemented allowing users to enjoy online casino type games, sports wagering, bingo and other forms of online gambling. For individuals however who do not reside in BC or in Ontario playing online may not be all that easy unless you are to resort to playing at offshore online casinos that operate within the Canadian market. Fortunately there are great options in which to choose from which is why many online casino operators choose to target and focus on Canadian players. Canadian Online Casino & Gambling Resources: British Columbia Online Casinos - Licensed and regulated offshore online casinos for all Canadian players.
Website Address: http://www.britishcolumbiaonlinecasinos.com Online Casino Gaming - All approved and regulated online casinos can be found at this website.
Website Address: http://onlinecasinogaming.ca Canadian Casino Sites - Listings of reputable online casino websites for Canadians looking to play in CAD.
Website Address: http://www.canadiancasinosites.com Play Now - Legal online casino for BC residence. Play lottery, keno, casino, sports, poker and bingo.
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