What's happening
This bill removes limits on vendor fee revenues for video lottery gaming at certain New York racetracks, allowing full allocation to racing and breeding funds.
Why it matters
Ensures increased and predictable funding for horse racing and breeding. By removing caps tied to 2013 funding levels (adjusted for inflation), all vendor fee revenues designated for purses, breeding funds, capital improvements, and operations at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga will now flow fully to these purposes, potentially boosting the financial health of the New York racing industry.
Could enhance the competitiveness and quality of New York’s racing circuit. With more money available for purses and facilities, New York’s tracks may attract higher-caliber horses, trainers, and jockeys, raising the profile and economic impact of the state’s racing calendar.
Reduces state control over surplus gaming revenues. Previously, any vendor fee amounts above the inflation-adjusted cap were returned to the state commission; now, all such funds stay within the racing industry, shifting the balance of benefit away from the general state budget and toward the industry itself.
May increase support for related agricultural and rural economies. Breeding funds and racing improvements funded by these revenues can have spillover effects for farms, breeders, and associated businesses, supporting jobs and economic activity in sectors tied to horse racing.
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Who cares
Horse owners racing at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga
The bill would remove the inflation-adjusted 2013 limit on purse support from the covered Nassau or Suffolk video lottery facilities, allowing amounts above that limit to remain available for purses.
Thoroughbred breeders and the breeding fund
The bill would eliminate the requirement to return breeding-fund payments above the inflation-adjusted 2013 level to the commission.
The franchised racing corporation
The bill would remove the inflation-adjusted 2013 limits on payments for capital improvements and general thoroughbred racing operations at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga.
The gaming commission
The bill would end the return to the commission of amounts exceeding those limits across all four racing allocations.
Headline styles
Change Racetrack Lottery Fee Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Referred to ways and means
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Change Lottery Payouts at Racetracks
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor John J. Bonacic
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7925
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 19, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to the disposition of vender fees for the operation of video lottery gaming at certain race tracks
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision f-1 of section 1612 of the tax law, as amended by chapter 175 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
f-1. As consideration for operation of video lottery gaming facility located in the county of Nassau or Suffolk and operated by a corporation established pursuant to section five hundred two of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, the division shall cause the investment in the racing industry of the following percentages of the vendor fee to be deposited or paid as follows:
1. Two and three tenths percent of the total wagered after payout of prizes for the purpose of enhancing purses at Aqueduct racetrack, Belmont Park racetrack and Saratoga race course[, provided, however, that any amount that is in excess of the amount necessary to maintain purse support from video lottery gaming at Aqueduct racetrack, Belmont Park racetrack and Saratoga race course at the same level realized in two thousand thirteen, to be adjusted by the consumer price index for all urban consumers, as published annually by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, shall instead be returned to the commission].
2. five tenths percent of the total wagered after payout of prizes for the appropriate breeding fund for the manner of racing at Aqueduct racetrack, Belmont Park racetrack and Saratoga race course[, provided, however, that any amount that is in excess of the amount necessary to maintain payments from video lottery gaming at Aqueduct racetrack at the same level realized in two thousand thirteen, to be adjusted by the consumer price index for all urban consumers, as published annually by
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11784-01-7
A. 7925 2
the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, shall instead be returned to the commission].
3. one and three tenths percent of the total revenue wagered after payout of prizes to be deposited into an account of the franchised corporation established pursuant to section two hundred six of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law to be used for capital expenditures in maintaining and upgrading Aqueduct racetrack, Belmont Park racetrack and Saratoga race course[, provided, however, that any amount that is in excess of the amount necessary to maintain payments for capital expenditures from video lottery gaming at Aqueduct racetrack at the same level realized in two thousand thirteen, to be adjusted by the consumer price index for all urban consumers, as published annually by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, shall instead be returned to the commission].
4. Nine tenths percent of the total revenue wagered after payout for prizes to be deposited into an account of the franchised corporation established pursuant to section two hundred six of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law to be used for general thoroughbred racing operations at Aqueduct racetrack, Belmont Park racetrack and Saratoga race course[, provided, however, that any amount that is in excess of the amount necessary to maintain payments for general thoroughbred racing operations from video lottery gaming at Aqueduct racetrack at the same level realized in two thousand thirteen, to be adjusted by the consumer price index for all urban consumers, as published annually by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, shall instead be returned to the commission].
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.