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Historical Horse Racing Bill Awaits Louisiana Governor’s Signature; HHR Also OK’ed In New Hampshire

Louisiana and New Hampshire are the latest states to embrace historical horse racing through legislative action.

In New Hampshire, Gov. Chris Sununu signed House Bill 626 into law on June 8, authorizing pari-mutuel wagering on historical horse racing at New Hampshire charitable gaming facilities that were licensed as of May 1, 2020. With horse racing no longer offered in the state, revenue generated from wagering will be allocated to the New Hampshire education trust fund and to local charitable organizations.

Also on Tuesday, the Louisiana Senate voted 32-3 in support of SB 209, a bill that would authorize up to 50 historical horse racing machines at off-track betting facilities throughout the state. The House had previously approved the measure by a 84-11 vote. The bill has language allowing HHR wagering on mobile device apps provided they are used within the confines of a pari-mutuel facility or OTB.

According to the Louisiana State Racing Commission, there are 16 OTBs currently operating in Louisiana.

The Louisiana bill, supported by horsemen's and breeders' organization in the state, now goes to Gov. John Bel Edwards for his signature.

Concerning New Hampshire, Patrick Neely, chief business development officer for Exacta Systems, said: “We are so grateful to our primary bill sponsors, Representative Pat Abrami and Senator Harold French; longtime supporters like Representatives Fred Doucette and Jennie Gomarlo, and of course Governor Sununu for signing the bill into law. Passage of this legislation was truly a group effort, and we were pleased to play a role in a broad coalition of New Hampshire charitable organizations and charitable gaming operators. We have no doubt that HHR will prove to be as successful in New Hampshire as it is in other jurisdictions, and that it will generate significant new tax revenue and financial support for countless New Hampshire charities. Exacta looks forward to playing a role in that future success, and we are excited to announce our expansion plans and partnership agreements in New Hampshire in the coming weeks.”

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Legislative Fix For HHR Still Unclear In Kentucky; No Bill Pre-FiledYet

According to The Louisville Courier-Journal, the future of the horse racing community in Kentucky could be at stake after a recent state Supreme Court ruling on historical horse racing (HHR). The supreme court dealt a blow to the racing industry in September when it ruled that one manufacturer's HHR terminals don't comply with the legal definition of pari-mutuel wagering in the state.

Supporters and opponents of HHR appeared before the General Assembly's Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations to discuss the path forward for HHR.

Racing industry representatives warned that the loss of HHR would seriously cripple Kentucky's Thoroughbred industry. The machines have provided $717 million in direct revenue to the horse industry so far.

Representatives from the Family Foundation, which brought the original suit questioning the legality of the machines, say a constitutional amendment would be required to change the state's definition of pari-mutuel wagering to accommodate HHR. The group opposes the machines, which resemble slot machines but use video of previously-run races to determine winning number combinations.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer disagreed.

“We're not looking for an expansion of gambling here,” Thayer said. “All we're looking to do is to put in statute that historical horse racing meets the definition of pari-mutuel wagering and this body has the authority to do that.”

As of Monday, no bill had been prefiled by a legislator regarding pari-mutuel racing in Kentucky. The next legislative session begins in January.

KEEP: Kentucky’s Horse Industry Would Suffer ‘Massive Blow’ If Historical Horse Racing Ends

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) released the following statement in response to the Kentucky Supreme Court's Opinion calling into question the operation of historical horse racing (HHR) in the Commonwealth:

“Thursday's ruling by the Kentucky Supreme Court is devastating to the Commonwealth, the horse industry and the tens of thousands of Kentuckians who work in the industry.

“The result of this ruling, if there is no action by the state legislature to enact law permitting wagering on HHR, would severely impact the horse industry at a time when Kentucky is leading all competing states in nearly every metric. That success is largely based on HHR and the financial incentives it has funded that have led to more horse operations moving to Kentucky, more horses being bred in Kentucky and more horses racing in Kentucky. The competitive advantage that Kentucky has over competing states will disappear overnight with the absence of HHR.

“The potential elimination of HHR will have an immediate negative impact on the value of Kentucky horses and investment in Kentucky. This will lead to hardships for Kentucky's racetracks and horse operations, loss in real estate values and tourism and, ultimately, to job losses across the industry. Kentucky's signature industry has suffered a massive blow, from which recovery will be very difficult. This does not affect just the horse industry, it affects all Kentuckians as tax revenues from HHR and other industry programs will decline.

“While this is devastating news for Kentucky's horse industry, there are possible solutions and there may be an opportunity to create a permanent legislative fix for HHR. KEEP will continue working with the industry, the state legislature and the governor to advocate for policies to address immediate and long-term needs to build not just a stronger horse industry, but a stronger Kentucky.”

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