With four Sunday meets scheduled for Caymanas Park this year, the first on January 29, president of the United Bookmakers Association (UBA) Xavier Chin is urging the new Government to reverse the decision of the previous Government by allowing the Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) off-track stations and betting shops to open their doors.
Following an absence of one year to the day, Sunday racing returns to Caymanas Park this weekend with a nine-race programme. Three other meets are scheduled for June 10, July 8 and December 16.
A CTL source said that the newly elected Government is yet to rule on matters relating to Sunday racing as Cabi-net had insufficient time to raise the issue, with the first meet in 2012 only days away.
Sunday racing made an historic debut at Caymanas Park on November 29, 2009, followed by a second meet a fortnight later.
Effort to appease
The situation resulted from the previous Government having pulled the plug on the participation of the off-track betting parlours days prior to the first meet in 2009 in an effort to appease the religious community.
"However, Sunday racing has the capacity to be a profitable undertaking for all concerned if bold steps are taken by this Government," said Chin.
"It would be a win-win situation should the Cabinet overturn the decision and free up Sunday racing. The promoters would make a profit with the opening up of CTL off-track betting parlours and the bookmakers would do likewise if their shops were allowed to open.
"This would mean significant increase in revenues from horse racing for the Government, and come next year the number of meets could be doubled," said Chin.
The Track Price CEO disclosed that approval has been given for the provision of slot machines in betting shops and Sundays would be good for business. He said member companies of the UBA are in the process of installing the 19 allowed in each shop, and this will soon become a reality.
"It should be pointed out that Sundays are the most profitable days for racing throughout the world, and Jamaica should get aboard or be left behind," concluded Chin.
Significantly, 70 per cent of CTL's sales on local racing is derived from their off-track networks islandwide.