PADDY Power is in talks with Horse Racing Ireland and the Association of Irish Racecourses on possible sponsorship of free WiFi services at Irish racecourses.

It is thought that a deal with the bookmaker would involve directing racegoers to the bookmakers’ website upon signing in with their mobile phones.

A spokesperson for Paddy Power told The Irish Field: “We have opened dialogue with parties around this topic but talks are very much in preliminary stages.” Two years ago Horse Racing Ireland announced plans to introduce free WiFi at all 26 tracks. Yesterday, HRI confirmed that free WiFi is now available at 13 racecourses “with an additional five racecourses due to go live before the end of August. We expect to have a total of 22 racecourses, at least, live on the network by year end.”

The 13 racecourses currently offering free Wi-Fi are Ballinrobe, Leopardstown, Cork, Naas, Fairyhouse, Navan, Dundalk, Limerick, Punchestown, Gowran Park, the Curragh, Galway and Sligo. The service will be available at Tipperary, Tramore, Downpatrick, Killarney and Kilbeggan by the end of August.

The managers at Ballinrobe and Gowran Park say the service is working well. Gowran boss Eddie Scally said: “We’ve had it in since May 5th and it’s superb. It’s high speed but the real test for us will come on Thyestes day next January.”

Scally is keen to use the data collected by the WiFi for marketing purposes. “At the moment we are getting the figures on how many people are logging in but we need to utilise the data better. We want to be able to contact those users by email – that will be a massive marketing tool.”

Ballinrobe manager John Flannelly said: “There’s been good take-up on the service. It’s all good.”

HRI estimates that the scheme will require and investment of €2.4 million and half of that is coming from state coffers.