B.C. to end slots revenue sharing with horse racing industry, putting future of sport in doubt

The B.C. government has told the province’s horse racing industry that it will end the long-standing practice of sharing slot-machine revenue from two casino sites — a decision industry leaders fear could mark the beginning of the end for horse racing in British Columbia.

In a Nov. 25 letter, Solicitor General Nina Krieger informed industry representatives that revenue from slot machines at Hastings Casino in Vancouver and Elements Casino in Surrey will no longer be provided to Thoroughbred Racing B.C. as of Jan. 31, 2026.

Both casinos operate beside racetracks. Fraser Downs in Surrey closed earlier this year for redevelopment, leaving Hastings Racecourse as the province’s only remaining track.

Industry says the loss is devastating

Thoroughbred Racing B.C. chair Gary Johnson said the announcement left those on the call stunned.

“I said, ‘Minister, thank you for being so blunt,’” Johnson recalled. “It’s absolutely gut-wrenching.”

Johnson estimates the industry will lose about $8 million, money that has helped support race purses, breeding programs and day-to-day operations. He says breeders — already struggling with rising costs and the impacts of COVID-19 — were running deficits even before this news.

The organization has been negotiating with Great Canadian Entertainment, which owns Hastings Racecourse, to further reduce race days to stay afloat. Seven days were already cut for 2025 due to declining slot-machine revenue.

Province says industry not sustainable

Krieger acknowledged the decision’s impacts but said the review made clear that the sector couldn’t survive without “significant additional government spending” — something the province couldn’t commit to amid a record deficit.

“I recognize the impact this will have on families, breeders, workers,” she said. “There are supports available to transition to housing or lines of work, whatever is needed.”

Political pushback

Delta South Conservative MLA Ian Paton, a farmer, blasted the move.

“The equine industry is dying in B.C. because they keep shutting down our racetracks,” he said. “It’s another part of our agricultural industry going down the tubes.”

A shrinking industry

The Surrey closure earlier this year was a major loss for standardbred racing. With Hastings the only track left, Johnson says the entire industry — jockeys, barn workers, hay suppliers, farriers and other agricultural businesses — could be at risk.

Without financial support or a transition plan, he fears some family farms will shut down and horses may be shipped out of province.

He says if the government intends to wind down the industry, it must at least provide a clear off-ramp and support for those affected.

For now, the province maintains the decision is final — leaving the future of one of B.C.’s oldest sports in serious doubt.