OLG Conducts Study on Horse Racing Impact

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is launching a post-unprecedented situation economic assessment to review the current economic impact of the Ontario horse racing sector. With help from horse racing groups and associations, the Crown agency will try to better comprehend how the industry has changed since its previous comprehensive study from 2019.

As a state-run Crown agency, OLG is responsible for conducting responsible gambling to the Province of Ontario, in online and brick-and-mortar format. It also oversees bingo and other electronic gaming products at charitable gaming centres. Via its operations, the Crown is also able to support the local horse racing industry for a more sustainable future.

Survey Now Available Online

OLG informs the public that the survey is now open for completion and will be available to do so until February 9, 2024. It said participation from Ontario’s harness racing industry is key to help ensure that the new and updated study will thoroughly cover a wide range of data that will accurately reflect on the sport’s economic contribution to the province.

The new study will shed more light on a key updated baseline of validated information that can be relied on by the industry members to engage in meaningful and productive dialogue regarding the sector. The survey can be completed in English via: https://olgcx.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ah5dgnOBCRC0Y6O, or in French via: https://olgcx.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ah5dgnOBCRC0Y6O?Q_Language=FR.

All questions from it are in connection to the calendar 2023, and participants will be able to complete it in around 20 minutes. However, OLG warns that due to the design of the survey, it is recommended to complete it on a desktop or laptop device, instead of a table or mobile phone. Once started survey responses are automatically saved.

Participants who wish to receive a copy of the high-level results, once the study has been finalized, must complete the entire survey and select their preferred way of contact by 10:00 p.m. on Friday, February 9, 2024. Lastly, the Crown corporation revealed that the results from the new economic impact study will be released shortly after its completion in February 2024.

Latest from Ontario’s Sector

Just at the start of the new year, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, issued a statement to remind about its new rules for harness racing qualifiers or workouts. The new protocols are in plan from January 1, 2024, and they restrict the use of certain medications on horses, further highlighting its commitment to protecting Ontario racehorses.

In December, Ontario’s leading horse racing operator, Woodbine Entertainment, recapped its 2023 Thoroughbred racing season at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. The group produced an all-source wagering handle of CA$613,125,180. This is the second biggest single-season handle in the organization’s history, which was just CA$8 million short from 2022.

Source: “OLG Launches Post-Pandemic Economic Impact Survey” Standardbred Canada, January 9, 2024