PETA, Stronach Group - Donate Your Winnings to Charity

[AlsoEligible]

https://www.peta.org/media/news-rele...-spare-horses/

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – A first-of-its-kind technology for horse-racing wagering terminals, conceived of and proposed by PETA to raise funds to care for Thoroughbreds retired from racing, has been developed by AmTote International. The concept, which PETA presented to the Stronach Group and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), involves a pop-up screen for wagering terminals asking bettors to donate a portion of their winnings to the TAA. The TAA announced the technology on Sunday at the annual Jockey Club Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing. This is the first time such an interface has been developed for the racing industry. The technology will soon be tested on betting terminals at a Stronach-owned track.

Doesn't say which track or when, but I'd imagine that this in place at Santa Anita for the fall meet, or at Gulfstream for the winter meet. Or both.

Thoughts? On one hand this is a good cause, and doesn't seem much different than going to a fast food drive-thru and being asked if you want to spend an extra dollar on <insert cause>. Totally voluntary, if you don't want to, that's fine.

On the other hand, in a game where it's already hard enough to win, and you're already losing so much off the top to takeout and breakage....I can see where being guilt tripped into giving up even more of your earnings could rub people the wrong way.

[cj]

It definitely rubs me the wrong way. There are plenty avenues to give, and I have, but doing it at the wagering terminal just seems like too much to me. Horseplayers get the short end of the stick often enough without this being shoved in our face.

[Andy Asaro]

Should be a keep the change option on ADW's. Self serve terminals are fine but only if they don't slow down lines much.

[Robert Fischer]

1. Charities are out of control.
Between 99.99% and 100% of the charities we are exposed to are hard-nosed killer-instinct for-profit businesses with very intelligent behavioral finance models designed to separate the public from their money.
We call these 'non-profit' and we allow them to panhandle.


2. PETA specifically
Is a for-profit non-profit whose design capitalizes on polarizing extremism that happens to be exploitative of the horse racing industry.




Number one has to do with my perspective, and is debatable. But if fans/horseplayers/owners/trainers/vendors/writers/etc.. can't understand number two, I don't know what the hell to type.

[AlsoEligible]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

2. PETA specifically
Is a for-profit non-profit whose design capitalizes on polarizing extremism that happens to be exploitative of the horse racing industry.

I don't disagree, although it should be noted that in this case money donated isn't going to PETA, but to the TAA (Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance).

From some quick googling, it appears that PETA helped push the industry to create this group back in 2012, but beyond that they're not affiliated in any way. The TAA was originally founded by the Breeder's Cup, Jockey Club, and Keeneland, and the board includes those organizations plus other race track executives.

[jimmyb]

This belongs with the 30 tons a day.

[chiguy]

While I believe in giving to charity regularly, this scheme is actually another example of a company or group doing it through the donations of others. I noticed this a few years ago when I watched some of the Jerry Lewis telethon. These big corporations showed up with a giant check that they had collected through donations at their stores. It was a real "Look at what we did" appearance when it was actually their customers who donated the money. If the track or whoever in racing wants to make this a cause, and I am for doing this, donate the uncashed ticket money that each of the groups fight tooth and nail over each year. If they are just asking for the player to fund this then I say it's a no go.

[johnhannibalsmith]

I'm sure the IRS will let you deduct...

[Andy Asaro]

Originally Posted by johnhannibalsmith

I'm sure the IRS will let you deduct...

Has to be done on ADW so people can have records and deduct. I would at least give the spare change at the end of the day to Permanently disabled jockeys, Backstretch workers and aftercare. Should be an auto setting for end of day or every hour or whatever.