BILL REQ. #:  H-1134.1 

Read first time 01/23/2007.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

     AN ACT Relating to importing a simulcast race of regional or national interest on horse race days; amending RCW 67.16.200; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 67.16.200 and 2004 c 274 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A class 1 racing association licensed by the commission to conduct a race meet may seek approval from the commission to conduct parimutuel wagering at a satellite location or locations within the state of Washington. In order to participate in parimutuel wagering at a satellite location or locations within the state of Washington, the holder of a class 1 racing association license must have conducted at least one full live racing season. All class 1 racing associations must hold a live race meet within each succeeding twelve-month period to maintain eligibility to continue to participate in parimutuel wagering at a satellite location or locations. The sale of parimutuel pools at satellite locations shall be conducted simultaneous to all parimutuel wagering activity conducted at the licensee's live racing facility in the state of Washington. The commission's authority to approve satellite wagering at a particular location is subject to the following limitations:
     (a) The commission may approve only one satellite location in each county in the state; however, the commission may grant approval for more than one licensee to conduct wagering at each satellite location. A satellite location shall not be operated within twenty driving miles of any class 1 racing facility. For the purposes of this section, "driving miles" means miles measured by the most direct route as determined by the commission; and
     (b) A licensee shall not conduct satellite wagering at any satellite location within sixty driving miles of any other racing facility conducting a live race meet.
     (2) Subject to local zoning and other land use ordinances, the commission shall be the sole judge of whether approval to conduct wagering at a satellite location shall be granted.
     (3) The licensee shall combine the parimutuel pools of the satellite location with those of the racing facility for the purpose of determining odds and computing payoffs. The amount wagered at the satellite location shall be combined with the amount wagered at the racing facility for the application of take out formulas and distribution as provided in RCW 67.16.102, 67.16.105, 67.16.170, and 67.16.175. A satellite extension of the licensee's racing facility shall be subject to the same application of the rules of racing as the licensee's racing facility.
     (4) Upon written application to the commission, a class 1 racing association may be authorized to transmit simulcasts of live horse races conducted at its racetrack to locations outside of the state of Washington approved by the commission and in accordance with the interstate horse racing act of 1978 (15 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 to 3007) or any other applicable laws. The commission may permit parimutuel pools on the simulcast races to be combined in a common pool. A racing association that transmits simulcasts of its races to locations outside this state shall pay at least fifty percent of the fee that it receives for sale of the simulcast signal to the horsemen's purse account for its live races after first deducting the actual cost of sending the signal out of state.
     (5) Upon written application to the commission, a class 1 racing association may be authorized to transmit simulcasts of live horse races conducted at its racetrack to licensed racing associations located within the state of Washington and approved by the commission for the receipt of the simulcasts. The commission shall permit parimutuel pools on the simulcast races to be combined in a common pool. The fee for in-state, track-to-track simulcasts shall be five and one-half percent of the gross parimutuel receipts generated at the receiving location and payable to the sending racing association. A racing association that transmits simulcasts of its races to other licensed racing associations shall pay at least fifty percent of the fee that it receives for the simulcast signal to the horsemen's purse account for its live race meet after first deducting the actual cost of sending the simulcast signal. A racing association that receives races simulcast from class 1 racing associations within the state shall pay at least fifty percent of its share of the parimutuel receipts to the horsemen's purse account for its live race meet after first deducting the purchase price and the actual direct costs of importing the race.
     (6) A class 1 racing association may be allowed to import simulcasts of horse races from out-of-state racing facilities. With the prior approval of the commission, the class 1 racing association may participate in a multijurisdictional common pool and may change its commission and breakage rates to achieve a common rate with other participants in the common pool.
     (a) The class 1 racing association shall make written application with the commission for permission to import simulcast horse races for the purpose of parimutuel wagering. Subject to the terms of this section, the commission is the sole authority in determining whether to grant approval for an imported simulcast race.
     (b) When open for parimutuel wagering, a class 1 racing association which imports simulcast races shall also conduct simulcast parimutuel wagering within its licensed racing enclosure on all races simulcast from other class 1 racing associations within the state of Washington.
     (c) On any imported simulcast race, the class 1 racing association shall pay fifty percent of its share of the parimutuel receipts to the horsemen's purse account for its live race meet after first deducting the purchase price of the imported race and the actual costs of importing and offering the race.
     (7) A licensed nonprofit racing association may be approved to import one simulcast race of regional or national interest on each live race day.
     (8) For purposes of this section, a class 1 racing association is defined as a licensee approved by the commission to conduct during each twelve-month period at least forty days of live racing. If a live race day is canceled due to reasons directly attributable to acts of God, labor disruptions affecting live race days but not directly involving the licensee or its employees, or other circumstances that the commission decides are beyond the control of the class 1 racing association, then the canceled day counts toward the forty-day requirement. The commission may by rule increase the number of live racing days required to maintain class 1 racing association status or make other rules necessary to implement this section.
     (((8))) (9) This section does not establish a new form of gaming in Washington or allow expanded gaming within the state beyond what has been previously authorized. Simulcast wagering has been allowed in Washington before April 19, 1997. Therefore, this section does not allow gaming of any nature or scope that was prohibited before April 19, 1997. This section is necessary to protect the Washington equine breeding and racing industries, and in particular those sectors of these industries that are dependent upon live horse racing. The purpose of this section is to protect these industries from adverse economic impacts and to promote fan attendance at class 1 racing facilities. Therefore, a licensed class 1 racing association may be approved to disseminate imported simulcast race card programs to satellite locations approved under this section, provided that the class 1 racing association has conducted at least forty live racing days with an average on-track handle on the live racing product of a minimum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars per day during the twelve months immediately preceding the application date. However, to promote the development of a new class 1 racing association facility and to meet the best interests of the Washington equine breeding and racing industries, the commission may by rule reduce the required minimum average on-track handle on the live racing product from one hundred fifty thousand dollars per day to thirty thousand dollars per day.
     (((9))) (10) A licensee conducting simulcasting under this section shall place signs in the licensee's gambling establishment under RCW 9.46.071. The informational signs concerning problem and compulsive gambling must include a toll-free telephone number for problem and ((compulsive)) pathological gamblers and be developed under RCW 9.46.071.
     (((10))) (11) Chapter 10, Laws of 2001 1st sp. sess. does not establish a new form of gaming in Washington or allow expanded gaming within the state beyond what has been previously authorized. Simulcast wagering has been allowed in Washington before August 23, 2001. Therefore, this section does not allow gaming of any nature or scope that was prohibited before August 23, 2001. Chapter 10, Laws of 2001 1st sp. sess. is necessary to protect the Washington equine breeding and racing industries, and in particular those sectors of these industries that are dependent upon live horse racing. The purpose of chapter 10, Laws of 2001 1st sp. sess. is to protect these industries from adverse economic impacts and to promote fan attendance at class 1 racing facilities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.