Assigned to FICO                                                                                                          AS PASSED BY HOUSE

 

 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session

 

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1260

 

dog racing; simulcast wagering; prohibition

Purpose

Prohibits pari-mutuel wagering on simulcasts of dog racing that originate outside of the United States beginning July 1, 2024, and prohibits pari-mutuel wagering on all simulcast dog racing in Arizona beginning January 1, 2029.

Background

The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) Division of Racing, with direction from the Arizona Racing Commission, regulates and supervises all commercial horse racing meetings, authorized pari-mutuel wagering and simulcasting of dog races that occur outside the state.
Laws 2016, Chapter 246 prohibited live dog racing in Arizona beginning January 1, 2017. The practice of allowing patrons at a racetrack enclosure or its licensed off-track facilities to watch and wager on races being conducted at other tracks is referred to as simulcasting. The ADG may allow a commercial dog racing permittee to electronically televise simulcast dog races and allows wagering on simulcast races, subject to prescribed requirements. Except as otherwise provided, any person within a racetrack enclosure or off-track facility may wager on the results of a race that is simulcast to the facility by contributing to a pari-mutuel pool. Pari-mutuel wagering is a system of betting that provides for the distribution among the winning patrons of at least the total amount wagered less the amount withheld under state law.

Simulcasting may only be authorized for the same type of racing authorized by a permittee's live racing permit. However, any dog racing permittee that offered live dog racing in 2016 or that has offered live dog racing in 8 out of 10 calendar years from 1980 to 1990 in a county with a population of fewer than 500,000 persons is considered as operating a racetrack enclosure for all statutory purposes and is not authorized or required to conduct live racing as a condition of that permittee's racing permit (A.R.S. Title 5, Chapter 1).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.   Prohibits pari-mutuel wagering on simulcasts of dog racing that originate outside of the continental United States beginning July 1, 2024

2.   Prohibits pari-mutuel wagering on simulcast dog racing in Arizona beginning January 1, 2029.

3.   Makes technical changes.

4.   Becomes effective on the general effective date, retroactive to July 1, 2024.

Amendments Adopted by Committee

1.   Prohibits simulcasts of dog racing that originate outside of the continental United States beginning July 1, 2024.

2.   Replaces the delayed effective date with a retroactive effective date of July 1, 2024.

3.   Makes technical and conforming changes.

Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives

· Prohibits pari-mutuel wagering on simulcast dog racing in Arizona, rather than prohibiting the simulcasting of dog racing in Arizona.

Senate Action                                                           House Action

FICO               2/5/24        DPA       7-0-0               APPROP         3/25/24      DP         15-0-2-0
3rd Read          2/15/24                     24-2-4             3rd Read           4/10/24                    33-24-2-0-1

Prepared by Senate Research

April 10, 2024

MG/cs