In a bizarre move that will ultimately decrease the number of spectators that come through the gate, cash betting services will be drastically slashed for Victorian’s racetracks including Bairnsdale.
TAB cash betting services will still be available at mid-week metro meetings, Saturday meetings and major provincial and country feature-race days, but dramatically decreased from that model.
Realistically, Bairnsdale Racing Club may only have on-course TAB facilities at two or possibly three of its six allocated race meetings in the racing season going forward.
This decision by Tabcorp does nothing to encourage the next generation of participants on track, merely making hundreds of meetings basically set up for the television viewer at home.
“As part of evolution, we will be reducing the number of cash terminals at Victorian racetracks because a majority of customers have told us they want to bet digitally,” a Tabcorp spokesperson said.
Racing Victoria (RV), which will fund Tabcorp’s on-course presence at around 140 meetings annually, emphasised that on-course cash wagering accounts for less than 0.4 per cent of annual turnover on Victorian thoroughbred racing.
“With on-course cash wagering continuing to decline as more punters migrate to digital wagering, TAB have made the decision to reduce their on-course services to save costs,” RV stated last week.
To minimise disruption, RV worked with Tabcorp to delay the changes until December 1, ensuring the Spring Racing Carnival remained unaffected.
RV also noted that racegoers at affected meetings can still place cash bets with on-course bookmakers.
