Chairman
John Van Lindt 		Members
Thomas Casaregola
John Crotty
Jon J. McCloskey

The State of New York

Task Force on the Future of Off-Track Betting

Below is Section 26 of Chapter 115 of the Laws of 2008, creating the Task Force on the Future of Off-Track Betting.

Section 26 of Chapter 115 of the Laws of 2008

§ 26. There is hereby created a task force on the future of off-track betting in New York state. The task force shall be comprised of five members, appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate and one of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the speaker of the assembly. All members shall be appointed within 30 days of the effective date of this act. Task force members shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The task force is authorized to utilize the services and support of the racing and wagering board, the division of the lottery and any other state entity which may contribute to its mission. The task force shall analyze and make recommendations concerning the optimal utilization of the state's regional off-track betting system with an emphasis on the system's capability to raise revenues for state and local governments and strengthen the racing and breeding industries in New York. Such analysis and recommendations shall result from a study to be conducted by the task force in consultation with representatives of the state's regional off-track betting corporations, representatives of local governments, thoroughbred and harness racetrack operators, horsemen and breeders, operators of video lottery terminals at various tracks, pari-mutuel/technology vendors serving the pari-mutuel industry and the New York State American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations. The task force shall no later than March 1, 2009 report its findings and recommendations to the governor and the legislature. However, the status of its ongoing inquiry shall be made available at any time to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly upon request. Such analysis should, but may not be limited to, focus on the current and future pari-mutuel marketplace with respect to wagering at off-track sites, legislative and regulatory issues, the industry's changing competitive environment, the economic contributions of the racing and breeding industry to New York and its communities and potential revenue impacts to the state and industry, and the necessity for regulation of advance deposit wagering providers that are engaged in the business of accepting pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing from persons within New York state.

The Task Force on the Future of Off-Track Betting in New York State
P.O. Box 8718
Albany, NY 12208
Telephone: (518) 951-9176
E-Mail: NYSOTBTaskForce@gmail.com