Jockey Club lifts IT services to boost cashless betting

As new services such as soccer betting become available, the Jockey Club is counting on its information technology (IT) architecture to ensure its operations can expand quickly and without the need for a complete overhaul.

Steve Beason, the club's executive director for information technology, said his department faced the formidable task of meeting the day-to-day IT needs of a large enterprise with applications ranging from catering and point of sales, to office automation and even laboratory information to support the club's veterinary services.

At the same time, the department is being asked to leverage new technologies to provide new betting services to customers.

These new services are becoming increasingly important, with channels such as internet betting, the club's customer input terminal, and specially developed personal digital assistant (PDA) applications growing increasingly popular.

Mr Beason said growth in this type of customer use had led to more cashless betting as opposed to punters using the club's off-course betting centres, a trend the club wants to encourage.

With operating costs of $4.9 million for every race during the 78 race meetings per season, the club is looking to technology to cut down on the costs associated with handling all that cash, such as hiring guards and armoured cars.

The cashless betting strategy appears to be working, with growing acceptance among punters.