view raw text
PRIVATE BETTING HITS THE MUTUELS PARIS. France, February 7. — The Nice season. which lias just terminated, has been quite successful from every point of view except the pari-mutuel turnover, which shows a marked reduction on the lasl two years. The Nice Racing; Society complains bitterly of this falling off and does not hesitate to attribute the reduction to the same cause which existed in the Paris district. That is, of course, the operations of independent bookmakers on a greater scale than ever, which is the most disquieting matter that the French racing authorities hare to deal with, and it is quite likely some drastic new regulations will be brought into force when the Paris racing year opens. It has even been hinted that the prohibition of private betting among race horse owners themselves is aimed at. Such a step, however, would surely be detrimental to the tnrif. a* the cutting out of this privilege would probably be followed by the exit from the racing world of many owners whose patronage can ill be spared.
