Overview
Horse racing in British Columbia is regulated by the Racing Division
of the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch. The Branch develops fair and
appropriate rules, provides effective management of racing events, and
licenses participants in the horse racing industry.
Regulatory staff are located at all operating race tracks in the province.
The Racing Division head office is located in Burnaby.
The Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch allocates $1.9 million each year
for the regulation of the horse racing industry.
Horse racing registration and licensing
To ensure that all who work in or provide services to the horse racing
industry meet high standards of honesty, integrity and financial responsibility,
it is required that they be registered with, and licensed by, the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch.
Registrants are required to submit to a background check, which includes but is not
limited to a criminal record check and a credit check. The registration process must
be successfully completed before a licence can be issued.
The Branch may suspend or cancel registration and/or a licence upon violation of
the respective terms and conditions or horse racing rules and policies.
To apply for registration and a licence, an application form must be submitted along with supporting
documents and a licence fee. Forms, complete instructions and related information are
available at the following links:
Horse racing rules, policies and penalties
As part of its activities, the Branch develops fair and appropriate
rules and policies to help ensure the horse racing industry is conducted
and managed fairly and with integrity.
For more information, click the appropriate link below.
Rules:
Policies:
Penalties and reconsiderations:
Race tracks and dates
There are six horse race tracks in British Columbia. Five thousand licensed
owners, jockeys, drivers, trainers, grooms and exercise persons participate in
approximately 200 days of live racing in the province each year. See the
table below for details.
| City |
Race track |
Type |
Race dates - 2009 |
| Kamloops |
Sagebrush Downs |
Thoroughbred |
May 16, 23
Jun 6, 13, 20
Aug 1, 8, 15, 22, 30 |
| Princeton |
Sunflower Downs |
Thoroughbred |
Jun 26 |
| Sidney |
Sandown Park Raceway |
Standardbred |
No scheduled live racing |
| Surrey |
Fraser Downs Racetrack |
Standardbred |
Fraser Downs Race Dates
|
| Vancouver |
Hastings Racecourse |
Thoroughbred |
Hastings Race Dates
|
| Vernon |
Kin Park |
Thoroughbred |
Jul 12, 19, 26 |
Teletheatres
Teletheatre sites across B.C. present simulcast satellite broadcasts of horse
races run at local, national and international tracks.
Economic impact
In recent years wagering at race tracks and teletheatres in British Columbia
has totalled more than $200 million annually. Of this amount, about 75 per cent
is wagered on simulcast races, the other 25 per cent on live racing.
The province's horse racing industry provides British Columbians with 7,500
direct and indirect jobs. The overall economic impact of the industry is estimated
to be $350 million per year.
As part of its commitment to stabilize and rejuvenate the horse racing industry
in B.C., the Province enhances purses with revenue from slot machines at race
tracks. More than
$5 million each year is shared by the thoroughbred and
standardbred sectors.
Reports
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