Betting on horse races in Florida may be a
thing of the past now that slot machines were banned in South Florida race
tracks. According to the states top horse breeders, who primarily
raise the best racing horses in picturesque Marion County, horse racing has
been struggling to stay alive for several years - And with the continued
obstruction of legislative amendments that would help to attract more
gamblers to horse tracks, horse breeders are themselves now on a precarious
track.
However, the voters of Broward County failed
to pass a measure that would have brought thousands of slot machines to
Florida horse tracks, bingo halls and Jai Lai betting rings. According
to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association, horse
breeders will be no more in a very short time if something is not done to
bring more bettors to the tracks. Since the money is not there, horse
owners are dropping out of the market to make money elsewhere. And
with the booming online betting industry, horse racing is suffering even
more.
It is estimated that bringing in slot
machines, which are the most popular form of both online betting and land
based gambling, would more than double the purse of the thoroughbred
industry, thus attracting new owners and keeping horse breeders in business.
The revenue is badly needed, for many breeders cannot go on maintaining
their farms at the high expenses they inherently produce. For them,
the only alternative to the betting world, is real estate. The land by
itself is worth a goldmine to real estate investors, and would help these
breeders get out of the hole at the cost of not being able to do what they
love the most.