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NFL betting fans will never have to face the current dilemma horse bettors are in with the recent decline in attendance at horse race tracks. Horse betting has gone from a booming business, to one that may need an economic bail out from the government. Today we wonder if governments should get involved economically in the horse racing industry.

To say attendance has been an issue in the horse racing industry over the last few years, would be an understatement. Recently, many newspapers have jumped on the bandwagon of coining the horse racing industry as a soon to be extinct industry.

Some of the most historical race tracks in both Canada and the United States are losing money in the millions. As a result, many die hard horse bettors are pleading for the provincial and state governments to step in and save these legendary tracks.

For instance, in British Colombia, the Fraser Downs raceway is quickly going out of business. Fraser Downs, formerly known as Cloverdale, has been run by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation for the last 34 years. However, the Keeling family who were the major stockholders in GCGC has sold off the business. The new owners, conversely, want to pull away from raceways such as Fraser Downs.

Many handicappers in the British Colombia area where Fraser Downs is located are pleading with local government to prevent the legendary track from going extinct. But in an industry that has lost more than it has gained, in recent memory, is this a good investment for the government?

With the recent legalization of mixed martial arts in both British Colombia and Ontario, it would be fair to assume that the provincial governments of those two provinces are not interested in saving horse tracks. As well, American governments are more concerned with recovering from an economic recession. Therefore, horse racing may end up dying out in the next decade with little protection coming from the government.