Tote Ireland will next week host the 24th European Association of Pari-mutuel Unions Conference in Dublin from the 7th – 10th June 2005. The Association hosts an annual forum for the exchange of information on Tote Betting activities and key issues affecting future developments. The members are the pool operators from Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland. Associate and other members are South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia

Mr Dermot Battigan of Tote Ireland Limited, President of the EAP for 2004 – 2005 said:- “It is a particular honour to host this conference in Dublin in this the 75th year of Tote Ireland. We welcome our guest nations to what will be a stimulating exchange of ideas on the future of Tote betting”.

Among the key presentations will be an overview of the US horse racing market by Ken Kirchner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA); a consideration of the impact of betting exchanges on Tote pools by Nigel Roddis of the UK Tote; and an update on the EU legal perspective on betting activities by Phillippe Vlaemminck, a Belgian lawyer.

The opening presentation of the conference will be given by Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland. “Tote Ireland has experienced significant change and growth in recent years but, like its international colleagues is facing into challenging times with the diversification of the business and the pace of technological change. This is a wonderful opportunity to compare respective performances and to share problem-solving and developmental information”.