Report ONTARIO - CANADA
“Of course it is possible for a racetrack that is not selected to continue nonetheless to offer live racing and to rely on pari-mutuel wagering both on track and off track as revenue streams. It may also be possible to assist a racetrack in other ways. However it is considered unlikely that a racetrack will survive by offering live racing without deriving revenue from slots and/or other forms of gambling.”
The sector predicts that only seven to 10 racetracks will survive in Ontario after next year. Under the existing Slots at Racetracks Program the purse accounts at all racetracks received a total of approximately $165m, which together with the horse people’s share from pari- mutuel wagering, provides the purses for a total of 1,540 race dates.
The response from the government regarding OHRIA’s questions was to create the OMAFRA panel which has been meeting to discuss suggestions from the industry
ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS
HANGING OVER THE OLG
MODERNISATION PLANS IS THE
TOPIC OF A NEW GAMING CENTRE IN THE GTA.
Meanwhile the OLG has released the Request for Information (RFI) for land based gaming and lottery in May and June 2012. The aim of this was to learn from the private sector providers which elements of their business could be improved. The gaming RFI focused on a proposed gaming business model and new gaming zones. The lottery RFI focused on options for providing lottery services across the business. The FRI closed in July and August respectively. The next step is Request for Pre- Qualification (RFPQ) and Request for Proposal (RFP) for both sectors. On the gaming side this will be for service providers to propose the construction of new gaming sites in OLG defined geographic gaming zones. Vendors will be selected in mid 2013.
Included in those affected is the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation which received notice in March 2012 from the OLG announced that it would terminate the site holder agreements with its
At the moment only three municipalities
that host no slots or gaming but are in the OLG’s
expansion zones have welcomed gaming –
Peterborough, Belleville and
Clarence Rockland on the Ottawa River. Ottawa’s
Mayor Jim Watson
is backing the new casino plans for this region and says currently
gamblers spend money at the
Casino Lac-Leamy
in Gatineau and to open a casino would keep
revenue dollars within the
municipality.
“The company is currently studying
the implications of this notice. OLG previously
announced that
they will engage in negotiations on
new arrangements for OLG and/or private sector
vendors to occupy space at racetrack locations where
there is customer interest. As such there may be an
opportunity for the company to enter into future
negotiations with the OLG regarding
the operation of slot machines at the Georgian and
Flamboro Downs racetrack locations.”
ROD BAKER,
President and CEO, GCGC.
Georgian Downs and Flamboro Downs locations as from March 2012. There are 1,000 slots in Georgian Downs and almost 800 slots in Flamboro Downs.
Rod Baker, President and CEO of GCGC said: “The company is currently studying the implications of this notice. OLG previously announced that they will engage in negotiations on new arrangements for OLG and/or private sector vendors to occupy space at racetrack locations where there is customer interest. As such there may be an opportunity for the company to enter into future negotiations with the OLG regarding the operation of slot machines at the Georgian and Flamboro Downs racetrack locations.
“During the year ending December 2011 Georgian Downs and Flamboro Downs generated a combined $34.4m in revenues and $17.4m in EBITDA.”
Meanwhile one of the big questions hanging over the OLG Modernisation plans is the topic of a new gaming entertainment centre in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The plan was announced in March of 2012 under the modernisation scheme. OLG said it would build one new casino in the GTA.
One of the prime locations highlighted was Toronto’s lakefront. Toronto currently has one gaming property in the region – slots at the Woodbine racetrack and this is apparently one of the busiest gaming floors in all of North America.
The Greater Toronto Area has three gaming facilities and a population of 5.3 million. Gaming revenues for this region amount to $887m and there are a total of 4,088 slots.
At the moment only three municipalities that host no slots or gaming but are in the OLG’s expansion zones have welcomed gaming – Peterborough, Belleville and Clarence Rockland on the Ottawa River.
Ottawa’s Mayor Jim Watson is backing the new casino plans for this region and says currently gamblers spend money at the Casino Lac-Leamy in Gatineau and to open a casino would keep revenue dollars within the municipality.
Meanwhile there has also been a significant decline in charitable gaming in Ontario. Ten years ago there were 6,000 charities raising funds at around 230 bingo halls. Today there are 3,000 charities fundraising in 61 halls.
The OLG wants to generate more interest and is now looking at developing new products and technologies to invigorate
February 2013 PAGE 135
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