Country Opens First Race Track – But Forbids Betting
Posted October 12, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Israel opened its first horse racing track Wednesday.
What’s so unusual about that?
Not much, until you consider that the country doesn’t allow any kind of private sports betting.
The facility, located in a place called Nir Yaffe, seats several thousand people who are expected to be content with watching the steeds dash around the track and hit the finish line – purely for fun.
What’s the point? Outside of watching the magnificent grace of the horses themselves, many don’t see one.
The chance at a quick buck is what makes the Sport of Kings so alluring for most, and while the track is also used for equestrian shows, some see the $20 million project as a white elephant.
Israel allows only government sponsored gambling and had intended to legalize betting on the ponies.
But those plans ran into the usual red tape and despite having the track approved in 2004, the law that legalizes wagering there hasn’t passed muster with the powers that be.
So there it sits, open for racing but not open to the odds.
Still, where there’s a will there’s a way, and private bettors and friends could be seen making illegal wagers amongst themselves before each race.
The track builders are already worried about operating the place at a profit and wondering how they’ll be able to afford the maintenance with no gambling money coming in.
“Without betting, the economic profitability is very low,” admits spokeswoman Anat Mor. “It will be a problem to run (the track) over time.”
Which means that for now, when you hit the track in Israel, all bets are off.
