The B.C. horse racing industry is reeling after the provincial government revealed that it will end the practice of providing slot machine revenue to the province’s last operating horse track, Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse, on Jan. 31, 2026.
In a letter signed by Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety Nina Krieger that was sent to representatives of the thoroughbred and harness racing sectors, the government said that not only is providing additional provincial funding for horse racing no longer viable, but neither is dedicating a portion of net slot revenue to the industry.
“While the review identified some economic, social and other benefits flowing from live horse racing in B.C., it also revealed significant concerns with its financial sustainability and ongoing viability despite revitalization efforts,” wrote Krieger. “Horse Racing BC’s April 2025 Industry Plan presented a possible path forward for horse racing in B.C., but not without significant additional government funding over the next three years. In government’s current fiscal situation, we are unable to support this additional funding request.
“We also reviewed the practice of providing the horse racing industry with a share of net slot machine revenue from Hastings Casino and Elements Casino Surrey. Given the significant financial sustainability concerns revealed by the review, we have made the very difficult decision to stop providing net slot machine revenue to the industry as of January 31, 2026.”
Krieger added that the government has come to the conclusion that even with government investment from casino-generated revenue, the B.C. horse racing industry is not sustainable because of a range of factors, primarily declining revenues and public participation and attendance at racing events. She acknowledged in her letter that the decision will have “significant implications” for the future of live horse racing in the province and for industry workers and stakeholders.
Update: On Friday, Dec. 5, days after Krieger’s letter, Hastings announced that it was ending all horse racing at the racecourse effective immediately due to a ” lack of economic feasibility.”
Fraser Downs already shut its doors
B.C. has traditionally hosted horse racing at two longstanding racetracks, the Standardbred Fraser Downs course and the Thoroughbred Hastings Park Racecourse.
Hastings began operating slots in 2008 as part of an initiative to expand gaming in B.C. and the province currently returns 25% of the gaming revenue to the racetrack. Per the Vancouver Sun, government officials said the amount of slot machine income dedicated to the horse racing industry was between $8 and $10 million annually. That money will be reallocated as part of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC) general revenue to government after Jan. 31.
Already, only Hastings’ racing operations remain in B.C. after Fraser Downs closed abruptly in August of this year when the City of Surrey exercised the land recapture option in its lease agreement and terminated the lease for the racetrack property. Great Canadian Entertainment continues to operate Elements Casino Surrey.
Great Canadian purchased Hastings in 2004, before the government approved the venue for casino gaming. The operator’s lease for Hastings Park and the casino is due to expire in May 2026, although the operator and the City of Vancouver could agree to a five-year renewal option.
Canadian Gaming Business reached out to Great Canadian for comment on the B.C. government decision.
“As an operator of racetracks in the province, we are grateful for the government’s support of horse racing through slot machine funding the last 20 years and understand that government must regularly adapt its programs,” the casino operator said in an emailed statement. “We are reviewing this decision to understand the implications for our operations and we will be engaging with our industry partners shortly.”
Great Canadian selling Hastings casino ops to First Nation
In November, Great Canadian announced it had entered a definitive agreement to sell the casino operations and casino real estate at Hastings to the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, one of six casino venues that Great Canadian has agreed to sell to a B.C. First Nations group.
That deal, which does not include the racetrack or racing operations, has not yet closed, but Canadian Gaming Business understands that the provincial government’s decision is not expected to impact the pending transaction.
