§ 11-65-32 — Televised Simulcast Programming of Racing Events

(a) A commission shall have the power to adopt rules and regulations specifying the conditions under which an operator, as part of its licensed activity, may cause televised simulcast programming of racing events, including both horse racing and greyhound racing, held at racetracks located outside the state to be transmitted for public viewing to a racetrack facility within the sponsoring municipality which is under the jurisdiction of such commission and there made the subject of pari-mutuel wagering. Any provision of this chapter or any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, no racing events, including both horse racing and greyhound racing, held at any location in the state (including a location in the sponsoring municipality) shall be televised to a racing facility subject to this chapter and made the subject of pari-mutuel wagering at such racing facility; provided, however, that an operator may use closed circuit television at a racing facility to provide enhanced viewing opportunities for live races being simultaneously run at such facility or to provide reruns of such live races. Subject to such exceptions as a commission may approve by rule or regulation in order to satisfy applicable requirements of federal law, all pari-mutuel wagering with respect to such racing events that are the subject of televised simulcast programming shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations of such commission governing pari-mutuel wagering on live racing events conducted at racing facilities under the jurisdiction of such commission, including the provisions of Sections 11-65-28, 11-65-29 and 11-65-30 hereof. A commission shall be entitled to no revenues from the televised simulcast programming of racing events other than (i) the commission horse wagering fee due with respect to that part of the horse racing handle wagered on televised horse racing events by bettors placing their bets at a racing facility in the commission municipal jurisdiction and (ii) the commission greyhound wagering fee due with respect to that part of the greyhound wagering handle wagered on televised greyhound racing events by bettors placing their bets at a racing facility in the commission municipal jurisdiction.
(b) If permitted by federal law and made possible by contractual arrangements with the operator of the racetrack that originates the simulcast programming, a horse racing operator may conduct pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing events televised to a racetrack facility in the commission municipal jurisdiction from locations outside the state. In such case the pari-mutuel pools for such wagering may be limited to bets made by bettors placing their bets at the racing facility located in the commission municipal jurisdiction or, alternatively, such pari-mutuel pools may include bets made by bettors placing their bets at the racetrack which conducts the televised horse racing events, as well as bets made by bettors placing their bets at one or more locations outside the state; provided that to the extent bettors placing their bets at a racing facility located in the commission municipal jurisdiction shall participate in such pari-mutuel pools, the total amount wagered by such bettors shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-65-28 and the applicable rules and regulations of the commission and, provided further, that the state horse wagering fee and the commission horse wagering fee, as well as any other license taxes on pari-mutuel wagering that may at the time be applicable in the state or the commission municipal jurisdiction, shall be paid with respect to the total amount wagered by such bettors, as provided by this chapter or other applicable law.
(c) If permitted by federal law and made possible by contractual arrangements with the operator of the racetrack that originates the simulcast programming, a greyhound racing operator may conduct pari-mutuel wagering on greyhound racing events televised to a racetrack facility in the commission municipal jurisdiction from other locations outside the state. In such case the pari-mutuel pools for such wagering may be limited to bets made by bettors placing their bets at the racing facility located in the commission municipal jurisdiction or, alternatively, such pari-mutuel pools may include bets made by bettors placing their bets at the racetrack which conducts the televised greyhound racing events, as well as bets made by bettors placing their bets at one or more locations outside the state; provided that to the extent bettors placing their bets at a racing facility located in the commission municipal jurisdiction shall participate in such pari-mutuel pools, the total amount wagered by such bettors shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-65-28 and the applicable rules and regulations of the commission and, provided further, that the state dog racing privilege tax and the commission greyhound wagering fee, as well as any other license taxes on pari-mutuel wagering that may at the time be applicable in the state or the commission municipal jurisdiction, shall be paid with respect to the total amount wagered by such bettors, as provided by this chapter or other applicable law.
(d) A commission shall also have the power to adopt rules and regulations specifying the conditions under which an operator, as part of its licensed activity, may cause televised simulcast programming of racing events, including both horse racing and greyhound racing, held at a racetrack facility under the jurisdiction of such commission to be either (i) transmitted on a live or delayed basis by a commercial television or radio station or network for the entertainment of the public or (ii) transmitted to specific locations outside the state for the purpose of pari-mutuel wagering at such locations: provided that, any provision of this chapter or any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, no racing events, including both horse racing and greyhound racing, shall be televised from a racing facility subject to this chapter to any other location in the state (including a location in the sponsoring municipality) and made the subject of pari-mutuel wagering at such other location.
(e) A horse racing operator may televise horse racing events under the jurisdiction of a commission to locations outside the state and, in connection therewith, may create and administer pari-mutuel pools for wagering on such horse racing events which, in addition to bets made by bettors placing their bets at the racing facility of such operator in the commission municipal jurisdiction, shall include bets made by bettors placing their bets at one or more of such locations to which such horse racing events are televised; subject, however, to the following conditions: (i) the simulcast programming and televising of horse racing events from any racing facility under the jurisdiction of a commission shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the commission; (ii) to the extent that bettors placing their bets at the racing facility under the jurisdiction of the commission participate in such pari-mutuel pools, the total amount wagered by such bettors shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-65-28 and the applicable rules and regulations of the commission; (iii) the state horse wagering fee and the commission horse wagering fee shall be paid as provided in this chapter with respect to the total amount wagered by bettors placing their bets at a racing facility in the commission municipal jurisdiction; and (iv) the commission horse wagering fee and the state horse wagering fee shall not be applicable to amounts contributed to such pari-mutuel pools by bettors placing their bets at locations outside the state.
(f) A greyhound racing operator may televise greyhound racing events under the jurisdiction of a commission to locations outside the state and, in connection therewith, may create and administer pari-mutuel pools for wagering on such greyhound racing events which, in addition to bets made by bettors placing their bets at the racing facility of such operator in the commission municipal jurisdiction, shall include bets made by bettors placing their bets at one or more of such locations to which such greyhound racing events are televised; subject, however, to the following conditions: (i) the simulcast programming and televising of greyhound racing events from any racing facility under the jurisdiction of a commission shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the commission; (ii) to the extent that bettors placing their bets at the racing facility under the jurisdiction of the commission participate in such pari-mutuel pools, the total amount wagered by such bettors shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-65-28 and the applicable rules and regulations of the commission; (iii) the state dog racing privilege tax and the commission greyhound wagering fee shall be paid as provided in this chapter with respect to the total amount wagered by bettors placing their bets at a racing facility in the commission municipal jurisdiction; and (iv) the state dog racing privilege tax and the commission greyhound wagering fee shall not be applicable to amounts contributed to such pari-mutuel pools by bettors placing their bets at locations outside the state.
(g) Nothing contained in this section or any other provision of this chapter shall be construed to authorize or make lawful “off-track betting” or wagering or gambling of any kind at any location in the state other than the pari-mutuel facilities located at racetrack facilities where live racing is licensed by a commission. All laws of the state, whether local or general, and all ordinances of political subdivisions thereof, that prohibit, restrict or regulate wagering or gambling of any kind outside the commission municipal jurisdiction shall not be affected by this chapter, as amended, and shall remain in full force and effect, it being expressly provided and understood that this chapter shall permit, subject to the conditions herein provided, pari-mutuel wagering on racing events only at a racing facility located in a sponsoring municipality where live horse racing or greyhound racing is licensed by a commission.

Legislative History

(Acts 1984, No. 84-131, p. 159, §32; Acts 1991, No. 91-187, p. 246, §28.)