Commingling Begins Between Brazil and Uruguay
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Jockey Club do Rio Grande do Sul announced May 7 that for the first time, racetracks from Brazil and Uruguay will be able to commingle their wagering pools, allowing fans to bet from either country into one common betting system. JCRGS and Codere, its managing partner, announced plans for the new step in a luncheon at the track in Porto Alegre.
Jockey Club president Jose Vecchio Filho pointed out that the concept requires unprecedented technology for racing in the region to create a totalizator system that couples the two tracks' wagering systems. The new system will link wagering from Cristal Race Course with those from Maronas and Las Piedras, two Uruguayan tracks, as well as satellite off-track betting operations and other sources in both countries.
"We are creating the Mercoturfe," Filho said, pointing out that the move will strengthen horse racing in both countries by generating larger betting pools and, as a result, larger purses for the horsemen who compete at the tracks.
In a release, Jockey Club do Rio Grande do Sul said a study conducted by Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiros—USP concluded horse racing in Brazil generates more than 27,000 jobs.
"Our plan is to insert the JCRGS into the international market in the best possible way," Filho added.
Andre Gelfi, managing director of Codere do Brazil, called the step "the foundation for growing our sport on the international stage. The implemented model follows the standard used by the international racing industry. In addition to the tracks, we will be able to integrate the betting systems in real time at off track betting locations, or through remote sources, such as telephone and Internet.
"This is an exciting launch, impacting an entire industry and generating revenue and growth potential for both countries," Gelfi said. "The entire racing community benefits, including breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys, as well as the local economies and, equally important, it gives racing fans a new canvas upon which they can play."