Horse racing continues to diminish in New Jersey as news has come that Caesars Entertainment has ceased offering a race book and simulcasting at its four Atlantic City casinos.
The news came when an agenda was release for the New Jersey Racing Commission’s January meeting, which included the discussion item “a notice from Caesars Entertainment’s Atlantic City properties—Bally’s, Caesars, Harrah’s Resort, and Showboat—to cease all simulcast operations as of Dec. 31, 2013.
The closures means only the Borgata Casino Hotel & Spa still offers racing simulcast in the resort.
The move will severely affect the Casino Simulcasting Special Fund, which was created to offset revenue lost by New Jersey racetracks when the casinos first opened race books. The fund, however, has dwindled over the years and less than $1 million was paid into the fund in 2012.
The commission has traditionally dispersed those funds throughout the state, but a move has been underway to give most of the fund to the Atlantic City Race Course, since it is nearest to the casinos and most affected by their race books.
Of course now, it’s just one race book.
