When will the slots bubble burst?

[badcompany]

When I hear about so and so track getting 1000 slot machines, I think myself that these things are basically video games that could just as easily be played at home on a computer.

Of course, the counter-argument is that people are always gonna need a reason to get out of the house, but, that logic could also be applied to the, now, empty tracks.

[Zippy Chippy]

Plainridge had a nice downstairs with like 200 TVs and 6 jumbo TVs. They shut the room down over a year ago. When I ask tellers they say its for slots. Its over a year later and no dumb slots. Hope they didn't gut out the room For no reason

[Tom]

I think it will outlive racing.

[bigmack]

When I hear about so and so track getting 1000 slot machines, I think myself that these things are basically video games that could just as easily be played at home on a computer.

Of course, the counter-argument is that people are always gonna need a reason to get out of the house, but, that logic could also be applied to the, now, empty tracks.
Being you're of the belief not a single person is able to win at this game who do you think is the bigger sucker; one who plays slots or ponies?

[lurker]

I give it between 10 and 15 years. It's still new in some areas. By then they will have cleaned out everyone who wishes to be "cleansed". At that point racing will be done, except in a couple of major population centers. I think (hope) that horse racing will survive in some form, with 8-10 tracks able to support themselves. The future holds vastly reduced racing dates, reduced purses. California racing is the future will look like.

Just my 2 cents.

[Dick Schmidt]

Slots lose their appeal? I don't think so. Have you ever been to Las Vegas? They've had slots since Bugsie blew into town and they remain the most popular form of gambling in town. A friend of my wife just got back and spent almost 30 minutes wandering around a large casino looking for an open machine one night. For a certain percentage of the population, slots are the preferred drug of choice.


Dick

Let us be thankful for fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed.

- Mark Twain

[DaylightDies]

Plainridge had a nice downstairs with like 200 TVs and 6 jumbo TVs. They shut the room down over a year ago. When I ask tellers they say its for slots. Its over a year later and no dumb slots. Hope they didn't gut out the room For no reason

Is that why that room is shut down? I loved that room! I used to go there every saturday when I was living in MA.

I returned about a month ago and was disappointed with the room next door, with the bar and all- really loved the big simulcast room there!

[thaskalos]

People love to gamble...and most of them are unwilling to spend years learning to play a "beatable" game, in which they are heavy favorites to lose anyway.

IMO...the slots are here to stay.

[macguy]

When I read you question I saw it differently than most of the above posters.

I read it more as, how long will slots support horse racing, before there's JUST slots, and no more racing.

And to that question I would say (for a number of tracks) probably not much longer.

I think at "slot fueled" tracks we will continue to see a decline in support (by track management) for the live racing program and a push for increased casino gaming.

Don't like the position horse racing is in right now. The majority of tracks in operation can no longer function without purse subsidies for live racing, and I don't see it getting any better.

Just a matter of time (and in my opinion it's already happening) before track managers put 2 and 2 together and see how much MORE money they can make by just having slots/table games/poker and NO live racing.

For a guy like me that truly loves the sport, it really is quite sad.

[badcompany]

Slots lose their appeal? I don't think so. Have you ever been to Las Vegas? They've had slots since Bugsie blew into town and they remain the most popular form of gambling in town. A friend of my wife just got back and spent almost 30 minutes wandering around a large casino looking for an open machine one night. For a certain percentage of the population, slots are the preferred drug of choice.



I'm not talking about losing appeal as much as the infrastructure not being necessary, much in the same way record stores, bookstores and even libraries are becoming obsolete because of the technology revolution.

[judd]

People love to gamble...and most of them are unwilling to spend years learning to play a "beatable" game, in which they are heavy favorites to lose anyway.

IMO...the slots are here to stay.
stopped in casino downtown pgh last week about 3pm--couldnt move--parking lots jammed--people coming out of the woodwork

slots, card games--people love to gamble

[sonnyp]

at the end of each initial contract.

[therussmeister]

The slots bubble will bust the moment Canterbury gets them.

But seriously, it seems to me that there is a strong social aspect to casino gambling. Even though you wind up spending all your time staring at a screen, slots players just don't feel like it's the same thing sitting at home in your basement in your underwear.

[Robert Goren]

I think it will outlive racing.I am sure you will. Hell, I might even out live.

[BeatTheChalk]

When I hear about so and so track getting 1000 slot machines, I think myself that these things are basically video games that could just as easily be played at home on a computer.

Of course, the counter-argument is that people are always gonna need a reason to get out of the house, but, that logic could also be applied to the, now, empty tracks.

Cella saw the handwriting on the walls of the spas and the RAce Track.
He installed table games AND SLOTS.

[pandy]

Slots are going to have the same problem that racing has, the real hard core slots players are older, just like most horse players. The casinos are eventually going to have to figure out how to get the younger generation interested in playing slots and unless they come up with slot machines that are a lot like video games, I don't see generation x getting into slots.

My sons rarely go to casinos, but I just can't see them ever embracing slots. They like games that are very challenging. Of course, the younger generation hasn't embraced horse racing either, even though it's challenging, they want everything to be done on a small screen such as an iphone or ipad, and they want to be able to play it where they are at the moment. If I owned a racetrack I would be creating racetrack betting applications that mimic video games and can be played on all electronic devices with real wagering.

[badcompany]

If I owned a racetrack I would be creating racetrack betting applications that mimic video games and can be played on all electronic devices with real wagering.

Why would you need to own a racetrack to do this? It wasn't the casinos that started on-line poker, the game that has grabbed the younger generation which, compared to horseracing, has an inherent advantage in an on-line environment: a virtual unlimited number of games can be created at a relatively low cost.