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Gov. Beshear Calls On Kentucky Lawmakers To Be ‘Bold,’ Approve Historical Horse Racing, Sports Wagering

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear fortified his positions on historical horse racing and sports wagering on Wednesday evening, calling on lawmakers to be “bold” and approve both during the 2021 General Assembly which begins on Jan. 5, reports the Kentucky Herald-Leader. Gov. Beshear's comments were made in a 20-minute speech he gave to the virtually-held legislative preview conference for the Kentucky Chamber.

Gov. Beshear has long been a supporter of both historical horse racing and sports wagering. The former has come under fire in 2020, however, due to a Kentucky Supreme Court decision in September which declared at least one version of historical horse racing terminal to not constitute pari-mutuel wagering, and thus to be illegal.

In response to the state's Supreme Court ruling, Churchill Downs has halted major construction projects at both it's Louisville, Ky. flagship track and at the recently-purchased Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Gov. Beshear urged lawmakers to legalize historical horse racing in support of Kentucky jobs and the over $21 million it contributes to the state's budget.

Read more at the Kentucky Herald-Leader.

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Judge Rules Against NJTHA’s Case Seeking ‘Bad Faith’ Damages From Sports Leagues

Judge Freda Wolfson, U.S. Chief District Judge in New Jersey, issued a ruling Dec. 3 in the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association case seeking “bad faith” damages from sports leagues, reports bloodhorse.com. The case stems from the fall of 2014, when those leagues—including the NCAA, NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB—filed a temporary restraining order against the NJTHA, owners of Monmouth Park, to prevent the track from taking sports wagers.

On May 14, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, allowing sports wagering to commence in states like New Jersey.

The leagues had set aside $3.4 million in an injunction bond for the case, covering the 28-day period of the restraining order, but the NJTHA was seeking up to $150 million in “bad faith” damages for being unable to hold sports wagering from October of 2014 to May of 2018.

While Judge Wolfson is prepared to consider awarding horsemen the $3.4 million amount of the bond, pending a hearing to determine “provable damages,” she will not consider the “bad faith” damages claim at this time.

Woodbine, Ontario Racing Express Concerns About Legalization Of Sports Wagering In Canada

Racetracks of Canada, Ontario Racing and Woodbine Entertainment are raising significant concerns with Private Member's Bill C-218. The bill is currently being debated by Members of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons.

PMB C-218 seeks to legalize Single-Event Sports Betting in Canada, but damage to the horseracing industry may end up being an unintended consequence of the legislation. It creates an opening for international companies and others to offer wagering on horseraces in Canada at the expense of the local industry.

Canada's horseracing industry is sustainable because of the carefully constructed agreements between betting establishments, horsepeople groups and others in the industry, to ensure that a fair portion of the revenue generated by wagering is circulated back into the horse racing ecosystem. C-218 legalizes wagering on horseracing outside of this framework, jeopardizing the industry support model that serves as the basis of more than 50,000 jobs and $5.7 billion in economic activity across Canada, in both rural areas and in cities.

“We recognize there is an opportunity for the Canadian economy to benefit from the legalization of sports wagering,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “However, we want to ensure it does not come at the cost of the horse racing industry which has been an important part of the economy for decades. We would be supportive of the legalization of sports betting in Canada if our concerns were addressed through a legislative process.”

The horseracing industry is calling for the Trudeau Government to take over the sports betting initiative and proceed with a legislative package in the upcoming Fall Economic Statement or the 2021 Budget that legalizes Single-Event Sports Betting with measures that ensure the local horseracing industry is not an unintended casualty.

This can be done by ensuring only horse racing establishments can offer wagering on horse races. A new revenue source, Historical Horse Racing, should also be provided to the industry to offset any revenue loss to the new competitive product of single-event betting on other sports.

These measures will ensure horse racing can remain sustainable in Canada along with the more than 50,000 jobs it supports across the country.

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