Racing and Wagering

RACING & WAGERING

There are 370 racing clubs racing at 352 race tracks throughout Australia. In 2016/17, these racing clubs were responsible for hosting2,636 race meetings. Overall, in excess of $18 billion was wagered on thoroughbred racing in 2016/17.


In addition to hosting race meetings, a number of racing clubs also hold trials for the purposes of providing opportunities  for racehorses to prepare under race-like conditions. Additionally, a number of tracks also operate as training tracks where trainers can take their horses to prepare for racing.


Overall, thoroughbred racing clubs ran more than 19,200 races at 2,636 race meetings across the 2016/17 racing season. This equates to just over 50 race meetings per week across the nation.


Race meetings not only provide the opportunity for participants to race their horses, they also provide an important social destination for racing enthusiasts and in many regions, are an important part of the social fabric of the community. It is estimated that thoroughbred race meetings in 2016/17 attracted more than 4.2 million attendances.

In 2016/17, racing and wagering activities were responsible for the generation of more than $4,200 million in expenditure (not including the expenditure on the production and preparation of thoroughbred horses for racing). This expenditure is made up of the following elements: 

+ racing customer spending on raceday and non-raceday racing club products
+ product fee payments made by wagering service providers to principal racing authorities
+ wagering taxes paid by wagering service providers
+ operational expenditure incurred by wagering service providers
+ racing customer spending off-track related to their attendance at the races
+ other non-wagering related revenues generated by principal racing authorities and racing clubs.

Note: the inclusion of wagering service provider expenditure impacts is based on the operational expenditure that is funded out of wagering activity, on thoroughbred racing, in each State or Territory and is based on data provided by Totalisator Agency Boards (TAB’S) and select corporate bookmaker organisations in Australia.

METRO
REGIONAL
TOTAL
Australian Capital Territory
44,000
44,000
New South Wales
291,858
941,928
1,233,786
Northern Territory
49,853
22,089
71,942
Queensland
187,432
536,321
723,753
South Australia
168,498
199,440
367,938
Tasmania
46,385
10,400
56,785
Victoria
753,985
585,255
1,339,240
Western Australia
164,000
247,312
411,312
TOTAL
1,706,011
2,542,745
4,248,756

Key statistics

370 Racing Clubs

METRO 16
REGIONAL 354

352 Race Tracks

METRO 29
REGIONAL 323

2,636 Race Meetings

METRO 515
REGIONAL 15,141

19,241 Races

METRO 4,100
REGIONAL 2,121

4.2 Million Attendances

METRO 1.7 MILLION
REGIONAL 2.5 MILLION

CASE STUDY:
RIDE TO TIME PREPARING PONY 
CLUB RIDERS FOR THE RACING INDUSTRY

The ‘Ride to Time’ program is a joint initiative between Racing Victoria (RV) and the Pony Club Association of Victoria. Ride to Time is instructional and aims to teach Pony Club riders the skills involved with riding safely at a given pace and distance.
The Ride to Time program provides young riders with an awareness and ability to control how fast they are travelling at a safe, balanced speed and rhythm. This in turn leads to safer and more accurate time keeping whilst competing, especially for cross country where time penalties often make the difference between being placed or not.
Benefits of the program include:
+ RV travels to Pony Clubs, fitting in with their schedule
+ Riders learn new skills and techniques
+ All riding levels are catered to
+ Accredited coaches are available
+ The program is fun, engaging and promotes participation
+ It can assist with job opportunities in the future.
The program is conducted at different racecourses across the state, depending on the Pony Club zone. Graded Pony Club members are encouraged to represent their club to participate in their zone program;
otherwise known as qualifiers. Riders are compiled into two groups – Grades 1 & 2 ride 1,000m in 109 seconds, and Grades 3 & 4 ride 1,000m in 120 seconds. Those who ride the most accurate times over two qualifiers go on to ride in the State Championship, which is held on raceday at a metropolitan track. Here, the riders experience raceday from the perspective of a jockey riding their own horse. Since the start of 2017, regional qualifiers for the Ride to Time program have been held at different racecourses across Victoria, with finalists battling it out for the winner’s trophy ahead of a big day of thoroughbred racing at Moonee Valley Racing Club.

CASE STUDY: GIVING BACK
TO THE WA COMMUNITY

Community TAB is a program that demonstrates how Racing and Wagering WA (RWWA) gives back to the community. The Community TAB program supports WA communities in many ways – for racing, but also for sport, not-for-profit organisations and local events. These partnerships help regional communities, both economically and socially, and allow important local services to continue to be delivered. In the past decade, the WA TAB has supported the Department of Sport and Recreation with over $30 million to invest in community-based sports programs across Western Australia.
RACE CLUBS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS
In 2015, Community TAB asked local racing clubs to support a chosen charity at their major raceday, with a money-matching offer. Race clubs choose a not-for-profit organisation in their community, giving them an opportunity to fundraise at one of their racedays. Community TAB matches what is raised to a maximum of $5,000. Since 2015, the program has partnered with at least 40 clubs each year and has matched over $200,000 worth of fundraising for community groups throughout WA. Race clubs choosing their own partner allows them to help organisations who they recognise are in the most need of support. Some of the community groups that have benefited from the project include:
+ Give Me 5 for Kids
+ St Johns Ambulance
+ Riding for the Disabled
+ Lifeline
+ Royal Flying Doctors
+ Men’s Shed
+ Make a Wish Foundation
MAJOR PARTNERS
Alongside numerous minor partnerships, Community TAB has developed strong partnerships with Lifeline WA and Riding for the Disabled Association of WA (RDAWA). Relationships with these important organisations developed as a result of their provision of valuable and highly recognised services in the community.
Community TAB initially supported Lifeline WA by coming on board for its ‘Lights for Lifeline’ campaign, which highlighted suicide prevention during the festive period when demand for Lifeline’s crisis support services is greatest. Now in a 4th year of partnership with Lifeline WA, Community TAB’s total contribution to the organisation is $200,000, which directly supports the training of new telephone crisis support volunteers.
RDAWA now has 19 riding centres statewide and assists more than 1,000 riders with disabilities to enjoy safe, fun and therapeutic recreational riding. This activity helps improve the physical and mental well-being of children and adults with disabilities. Community TAB has provided $80,000 each year towards program development and towards ensuring the continued high standards of animal welfare.