Letter to the Editor: Slots money is no subsidy to horse-racing industry

It is a sad day in Ontario when the Minister of Finance targets urban, rural and fair run race tracks and racing families when in fact horseracing has filled the Ontario coffers for years by allowing slots at their tracks.

Governments make substantially more from slots than card or table games and want to find ways to squeeze the racing industry. It is unfortunate that you have targeted the people working in this industry with full knowledge that their own Casino operations (Gaming and slots) in Ontario is a money losing investment, having two Casinos in Niagara Falls (one block apart) is a true money losing venture.

Windsor Casino is a white elephant that is totally unprofitable and Rama is weak. Closing these money losing venues would clearly recoup the entire 345 million dollars the OLG is trying to save. Many Ontario citizens don’t yet realize that slot parlors are very profitable and the government wants to close some (at racetracks) and relocate them closer to the addicted slot players and racing is in the way.

They say in Vegas that the house never loses! Well the Ontario government has proven this theory entirely wrong with their Casino operations. The liberals continue to politic and mismanage gaming in Ontario and shame on them for creating a negative perception of horse racing in this province. You will now destroy an entire industry (60,000 farming jobs) to drive the more profitable slots closer to city centers. So much for rural Ontario!

Racing has not approached you for subsidies (like the auto industry during the tough times), they are your partner, (no different than a convenience store selling your OLG scratch tickets or 649) and an agreement to operate in the 17 facilities is not a subsidy but a well thought out business arrangement. May I also remind you that all of the 60,000 jobs are full time in the province and will damage the livelihoods of many rural families and in some cases (like Windsor) urban families?

We all agree that it is time to correct the many mismanaged files of your government (the list is considerably long) but I can assure the world of horse racing and slot parlours is not one of them.

Dave Bryans/Horse Owner
Burlington, Ontario