The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
BETTING IS UNDER SCRUTINY
Subsidies for Racing in Europe with
Ban on Bookmaking.
Laying of Turf WaRers I'm England
i'm Control of Managers
of the Tracks.

Legislation which concerns the stand
! ing Of racing in the matter of betting has
engaged a great amount Of attention in
New York through the present winter.
1t is a coincidence that is worthy OF
attention that the betting part of racing
similarly has received attention within
about the same period from the leading
governments OF the world.
In England. the oldest country in which
racing is established, the matter OF turf
betting late last season was practically
relegated to the management OF the
tracks on which racing -ras conducted
the sole action of the authorities which
/ considered the matter being 10 forbid the
! city betting" which. in effect is the
poolrOOm betting of the big cities Of the
| United States. This prohibits the form
Of speculation which in England is known
as starting price betting" and which in
New York would be known as hand
! bookmaking
In France the issue has been a matter
Of returns between the government-con-
trolled method OF betting through the
Paris mutuels. which paid a return of s
per cent TO several funds, and the race
track bOokmaking. which paid no tax to
government accordingly have made ef-
forts to put bookmaking outside the pale.
as matter OF policy and revenue. and
have gone 10 the extent OF opposing even
the efforts Of members Of the Paris
Jockey Club 10 maintain private betting
club among the members of the chief or
ganiZation.
Among the European nations the mat
ter Of betting as an accessory OF racing
has been accepted by the governments OF
Germany and Austria, though booxmak-
ing is not approved in either country. the
form OF betting known as the Paris mu-
tUels' taking its place. In France. Ger
many, Austria, Italy. and Russia. how
ever. racing is recognized and encour-
aged by government subsidies as a
means Of increasing the available horse
supply I'm case OF war.
In Australia, where the betting problem
also has attracted attention in recent
years, the one effect of the agitation has
been 10 curtail the future betting on the
big events OF the Australian turf In the
past these futures included both straight
bOOkmaking propositions and the mutual
features Of pools, known there as
Sweeps" with a lottery feature at
tached. The effect OF the changes in the
Australian law have been 10 put the
sweeps and future betting out OF DuSi-
ness when they depended on popular sup
port, but the matter OF the betting on the
race tracks on the day OF the actual con-
tests still IS regarded as a matter be-
tween private individuals
In Canada. where racing is on a plane
with racing In the United States. the
most recent action by any OF the Cana6-
ian jockey clubs was taken by the or
ganiZatiOnS controlling the racing at
Quebec and Toronto. In both cases the
objection made was to the passing OF
money and the writing OF tickets in evil
dence OF bets. This put restrictions on
the public betting and brought into play
what IS termed the New York plan"
whereby bets are made either with credit
or by payment of the cash but with a
simple memorandum OF the transaction,
dependent upon the integrity OF one OF
the individuals TO the wager for settle
ment