Bill Text: NJ A4663 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Modifies certain operating requirements for simulcasting facilities; reduces minimum number of required annual thoroughbred races from 50 to 25.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-06-25 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee [A4663 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4663-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Modifies certain operating requirements for simulcasting facilities; reduces minimum number of required annual thoroughbred races from 50 to 25.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning horse racing in this State and simulcasting facility operations, and amending P.L.2001, c.199 and P.L.2006, c.19.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2006, c.19 (C.5:5-22.2) is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, the New Jersey Racing Commission, in effectuating its responsibilities under P.L.1940, c.17 (C.5:5-22 et seq.), the "Simulcasting Racing Act," P.L.1985, c.269 (C.5:5-110 et seq.), the "Off-Track and Account Wagering Act," P.L.2001, c.199 (C.5:5-127 et seq.), and the "Casino Simulcasting Act," P.L.1992, c.19 (C.5:12-191 et seq.), and under such circumstances and for such races as the commission shall deem appropriate, shall:
a. at the request of a permitholder, allow a permitholder to offer a future wager consisting of wagering on prospective entrants for specific races, with wagering conducted in advance, one or more parimutuel pools formed and closed on dates prior to the date of the race, and all wagers considered final and no refunds paid even if, for any reason, an entrant fails to participate in the race;
b. provide that the minimum wager amount that may be placed on a horse race may be $0.10 or greater;
c. provide that, after [three years] one year following the date of purchase, unclaimed cash vouchers shall be paid 50% to the permitholder at the location where purchased and 50% to the purse account at the location where purchased, provided that if the permitholder conducts both harness and thoroughbred races the purse amount shall be divided equally between the harness and thoroughbred purse accounts;
d. at the request of a permitholder or the operator of a casino simulcasting facility, allow the permitholder or the operator of a casino simulcasting facility, whenever the permitholder or casino simulcasting facility is open to the public for wagering, to accept a wager in advance of a race or races at an in-State or out-of-State sending track under a simulcast agreement without receiving a simulcast transmission thereof or displaying live video of all races from an in-State or out-of-State sending track thereof [when: (1) the race is to be conducted between the hours of 11:00 PM and 11:00 AM local New Jersey time, or at such other times as the commission shall permit due to extenuating circumstances; or (2) at other times, as the commission shall permit, when a racetrack, off-track wagering facility, or casino simulcasting facility is temporarily closed due to the hosting of an event at that facility that warrants the closure of that facility for a period not to exceed 24 hours, provided that a simulcast transmission of that race is received and displayed under a simulcast transmission agreement at any other racetrack, off-track wagering facility, or casino simulcasting facility in this State]; and
e. allow a permitholder to pay an amount due a winning ticketholder, notwithstanding that the ticketholder is unable to produce the actual ticket, if the permitholder is able to verify independently through electronic or other means approved by the commission that the ticketholder purchased the ticket.
(cf: P.L.2011, c.48, s.1)
2. Section 30 of P.L.2001, c.199 (C.5:5-156) is amended to read as follows:
30. a. The permit holder at Monmouth Park and the thoroughbred permit holder at Meadowlands Racetrack together shall schedule annually no fewer than 141 thoroughbred race dates, except that the thoroughbred permit holder may decrease the annual number of scheduled thoroughbred race dates to no fewer than [50] 25 thoroughbred race dates upon written consent from the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.
b. The standardbred permit holder at Meadowlands Racetrack shall schedule annually no fewer than 151 standardbred race dates, except that the standardbred permit holder may decrease the annual number of scheduled standardbred race dates to no fewer than 75 standardbred race dates upon written consent from the Standardbred Breeders' and Owners' Association of New Jersey.
c. The permit holders at Freehold Raceway shall schedule annually no fewer than 192 standardbred race dates, except that the permit holders may decrease the annual number of scheduled race dates to no fewer than 75 standardbred race dates upon written consent from the Standardbred Breeders' and Owners' Association of New Jersey.
d. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2017, c.172)
(cf: P.L.2017, c.172, s.1)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill removes the limitations on when a simulcasting facility can accept future wagers on horse races that the facility will not be receiving a simulcast transmission of, or displaying. The facility will be allowed to accept wagers on future races any time the facility is open to the public.
The bill also reduces the timeframe required for unpaid cash vouchers to lapse from three years to one year. The cash value of the lapsed voucher is divided equally between the permitholder at the location where the voucher was purchased and the purse account at the same location.
Finally, the bill reduces the number of thoroughbred races required to be held annually at the Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park from 50 to 25, with the written consent of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.
