Arizona is the state from where two controversial figures for the gaming industry are based. Senator Jon Kyl, who is trying to get online gambling outlawed, and Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, who has introduced legislation to limit tribal casinos to the tribes’ home states. Arizona is also home to an annual symposium on racing at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program. This year’s 32nd Annual Conference has been organized to include gaming and last night a welcome reception opened the 3-day event at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.

The symposium held last year highlighted issues over Internet betting exchanges and what course the American racing industry should take. The success of Betfair, the British betting exchange operator, was used to promote a radical suggestion that the American racing industry should develop its own version of Betfair. As Steven Crist wrote in his report on the 31st Symposium for Daily Racing Form, “The biggest lesson that exchanges are providing is a familiar one that this industry does not like to hear: Racing is a severely overpriced gambling proposition, and an increasingly savvy customer base is constantly looking to lower the sport's unreasonable 20 percent takeout.”

Racinos are the hot topic at today’s session of The Symposium on Racing and Gaming. Racino demographics, ways to start up and the experiences of racino executives will be under discussion before a keynote speech from Lorne Weil, Chairman and CEO of Scientific Games Corp, on the convergence of gaming and racing that should be of benefit to both. Racino marketing and the place of food & beverage and other facilities in racino profitability will bring the day’s events to a close.

Racetrack casinos in the US last year contributed US$1.07 billion to state and local governments, a 40% rise on 2003 figures. New York became the 7th state to licence racinos, opening four venues in 2004. The other states with racinos are Delaware, Iowa, Louisiana, New Mexico, Rhode Island and West Virginia. Florida is presently in the process of legislaating for slot machine operations at four venues. As racing venues around the world struggle to remain viable businesses, racinos are increasingly being seen as the way forward. (E-12.06.05)

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