This bill amends the Horse Racing Act to establish new requirements for racetracks to maintain their gaming operator's licenses by specifying the minimum number of live race days necessary for a race meet. It introduces a new definition for "race meet," which is defined as a period during which a racetrack licensee is authorized to conduct and does conduct live racing. The bill stipulates that a race meet must consist of three live race days for each week if the racetrack's gaming tax paid in the previous fiscal year was $8 million or less, or four live race days for each week if the tax was greater than $8 million. Additionally, it mandates that there should be no more than three consecutive days without live racing between the end of one race meet and the start of another.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that a race meet must have a minimum length of fifteen weeks. This change aims to ensure a consistent schedule of live racing events, which is essential for both the racetracks and the gaming industry. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 60-1A-2