1st Content has confirmed an agreement with Britbet that will allow pool betting on North American horse racing to be offered at UK racecourses a few months after the UK Budget specified that horseracing general betting duty would not be increased from its current 15%.
Under the arrangement, racing from the United States and Canada will be available to UK on-course customers through Britbet’s pool betting operations.
The agreement enables UK racegoers to place pari-mutuel bets on selected North American races alongside the domestic racing programme. It also provides additional liquidity to pools linked to 1st Content’s North American racing portfolio.
At launch, bet types include Win, Show, Exacta and Trifecta. These wagers broadly correspond with commonly used on-course pool bets in the UK. Further bet types may be added at a later stage.
Simon Fraser, 1st Content SVP International, stated: “Britbet already sells the product so effectively on-course, returning much-needed funding to the sport and we were impressed with this racing-first model and tech-forward approach.”
Nigel Roddis, Britbet MD, added: “This arrangement with 1st Content allows us to make more use of the i-neda technology that drives our on-course betting terminals, delivering more content for on-course customers - even though time-zone differentials and the racing on-course will necessitate that a selective approach is taken to what will be offered.”
Recently, six people were arrested in Singapore for illegal betting, and in Argentina a licensed trainer has allegedly manipulated tests at Hipódromo de La Plata, highlighting the risks when racing and wagering are unregulated.
The delivery of the service uses 1st Technology systems, including AmTote International, which supplies tote and advance deposit wagering technology
