Bill > HB2948

This bill introduces two key provisions related to horse racing and gaming in Arizona for fiscal years 2025-2026. First, the bill requires the Department of Gaming to establish and collect a new regulatory assessment of 0.5 percent from commercial racing permittees, which will be deducted from pari-mutuel pools (a type of betting where all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool, with the winners sharing the total pool minus management fees) in addition to existing authorized deductions. Second, the bill allows the Department of Gaming to approve race horse gates (starting positions) for all tested horses within 60 days of a race, which is a temporary modification to current racing procedures. This gate approval provision is specifically set to expire on December 31, 2026, ensuring it is a time-limited change to current racing regulations. The bill aims to provide temporary regulatory flexibility for horse racing operations in Arizona during the 2025-2026 period.

Budget and Finance

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/83460