Signed by Governor Pete Ricketts

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes new regulations for horse racing in the State.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act (Sec. 14, Pg. 5).

• Authorizes the operation of games of chance at a horse race track by a licensed gaming operator (Sec. 15, Pg. 6).

• Prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from participating in any game of chance or using any gaming device at a licensed racetrack enclosure (Sec. 15, Pg. 6).

• Establishes the State Racing and Gaming Commission (Sec. 1, Pg. 1).

• Prohibits any member of the Commission from having a financial interest in any racetrack enclosure or gaming operator (Sec. 1, Pg. 2).

• Authorizes the Commission to license and regulate authorized gaming operators (Sec. 16, Pg. 6).

• Establishes gaming operator license requirements (Sec. 18, Pgs 8 & 9).

• Authorizes the Commission to prescribe and enforce regulations regarding horseracing and licensed race meetings and games of chance in the State (Sec. 3, Pg. 2).

• Authorizes the Commission to suspend or revoke the license of horseracing industry participants, and impose a fine no greater than $25,000 (Sec. 3, Pg. 2).

• Authorizes the Commission’s stewards to impose a fine no greater than $5,000 for violations of Commission rules (Sec. 3, Pg. 2).

• Authorizes individuals aged 16 to 75 to apply for a license to participate in or be employed by a licensed horserace meeting, and requires license holders to be fingerprinted and reviewed for a criminal background check (Sec. 4, Pg. 2).

• Requires individuals aged 16 to 75 who manage a racetrack to be subject to a criminal background check (Sec. 4, Pg. 2).

• Authorizes the Commission to issue licenses to qualified applicants lasting no longer than 5 years (Sec. 5, Pg. 3).

• Authorizes the Commission to permit gaming operators to conduct sports wagering (Sec. 20, Pg. 9).

• Establishes minimum allowable races per day and year (Sec. 5, Pg. 3).

• Authorizes the transfer of racetracks between certain counties (Sec. 5, Pg. 3).

• Requires each licensed corporation and association to pay a tax of 0.064% on all parimutuel wagers on horseracing from the passage of this act through June 30, 2023 (Sec. 6, Pg. 3).

• Increases the tax to 1% from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 (Sec. 6, Pg. 3).

• Increases the tax to 2% from July 1, 2024 to all years thereafter (Sec. 6, Pg. 3).

• Prohibits the issuance of more than 1 license for 1 racetrack in a county, with the exception of local agricultural societies for county fairs (Sec. 8, Pg. 4).

• Establishes incentives for the use of Nebraska-bred horses (Sec. 8, Pg. 4).

• Specifies that any person, corporation, or association holding horse races for the purposes of horse race wagering without a license is guilty of a Class IV felony (Sec. 9, Pg. 5).

• Prohibits any individual from making fraudulent or fictitious claims about the ownership of an animal with relation to the selling, buying, breeding, or racing of the animal, and specifies that violators are guilty of a Class III felony (Sec. 12, Pg. 5).

• Establishes the Racing and Gaming Commission’s Racing Cash Fund to administer horse races (Sec. 13, Pg. 5).

• Requires the Commission to conduct a statewide horse racing and casino gaming market and socioeconomic impact analysis (Sec. 16, Pg. 7).

• Authorizes the creation of a self-exclusion list for people who self-exclude from participating in horse race wagering (Sec. 17, Pg. 8).

• Establishes the Racing and Gaming Commission’s Racetrack Gaming Fund for license fees (Sec. 19, Pg. 9).

• Specifies that any authorized gaming operator who fails to or neglects to make of the reports required by this act is guilty of a Class IV felony (Sec. 24, Pg. 9).

• Specifies that this act takes effect immediately upon passage and approval (Sec. 28, Pg. 12).