CALIFORNIA HORSE RACING BOYCOTT UNDERWAY
San Diego, CA January 12, 2011
The horseplayers' boycott has begun.
Fed up with rising takeout rates in the face of plunging handles, Players Boycott (playersboycott.org) has organized a boycott of California Thoroughbred Racing.
"Horseplayers have been kicked around long enough," said Jeff Platt, the President of the Horseplayers Association of North America. "The California Horse Racing Board approved the takeout increase figuring that players would just complain and go along like sheep. But, partly thanks to word of mouth and partly to players who are willing to stand up for what they believe in, handle has dropped precipitously at Santa Anita so far this meet, while handle at several other tracks has been up."
Exacta and daily double takeout at Santa Anita is now 22.68%, the highest in the nation among major tracks. The takeout for bets involving three or more horses is now 23.68% (a 14.51% increase.) Handle compared with similar dates last year is off by some 17%.
Players Boycott is asking players who haven't supported the boycott yet to stop wagering on California thoroughbred racing, effective immediately.
"The CHRB approved the takeout increase, and the CHRB can rescind it immediately if it chooses," said Platt. "By not betting, players everywhere can continue to send them a message: If you choose to make decisions that your customers oppose, you risk running off your customers." The CHRB has scheduled a meeting for Jan. 20.
In addition to demanding an end to the takeout increase, Players Boycott also proposes a new "Gambling Board" to advise the CHRB on all gambling related matters such as new bets, takeout rates, scratch rules, etc. This board would include an economist, a track official, and a player representative. Players Boycott believes that experts should be the ones making gambling-related policy for thoroughbred racing in California.
Players Boycott also urges the CHRB and the TOC to work towards ending California’s ADW Retention Cap. This cap has prevented most California players from getting rebates that are available to players outside the state.
Further information about the Boycott, including reviews and recommendations on other issues that affect California players, ranging from a lack of full-card simulcasting to policies regarding drug violations, can be found at:
http://www.playersboycott.org
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