Canterbury agrees to simulcast races for off-track betting at Northern Lights Casino

Canterbury Park has reached an agreement to simulcast horse races for off-track betting at the Northern Lights casino run by the Leech Lake band of Ojibwe.

The band and the horse track signed a preliminary agreement for the expansion. The agreement will also return some of the wagering revenue to Canterbury to help increase purses.

Jeff Maday, spokesman for Canterbury Park, says there are fans of simulcast gambling in northern Minnesota who now won't have to travel to play.

"Simulcast wagering is available in Fargo. Well, the assumption is that there are many people that are around Leech Lake, around Walker that are doing that. Now they won't have to," Maday said.

This is the first deal to take advantage of a law enacted in 2012 to allow off-track betting. The agreement is subject to state and federal approval, but backers hope to get it operating during this year's racing season.

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