Udall & Pitts Introduce Bill to End Interstate Horse Racing Wagering

Ahead of Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) introduced legislation to eliminate most wagering on horseracing Thursday, encouraging the sport to end doping and crack down on cheaters. Horseracing is the only sport specially permitted by federal law to offer online gambling and interstate betting. 

Udall and Pitts have previously introduced legislation attempting to clean up the sport. This new approach takes their bipartisan push to the next level by repealing the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, which permits “off-track” and online wagering. Today about 90% of the $11 billion wagered on horseracing comes from this type of betting in the 38 states that permit it. 

“Out of sight of the spectators in the grandstand, 19 of the 20 horses competing in this year’s Kentucky Derby will be injected shortly before post time,” Udall said. “In 2010, a drug cartel leader allegedly fixed the world’s most celebrated Quarter Horse race by paying a $110,000 bribe, according to witness testimony in a federal trial. A harness trainer racked up more than 1,700 medication violations–and no one caught giving racehorses dermorphin, a painkiller 40 times more powerful than morphine, has been permanently kicked out of the sport. New Mexico racetracks have some of the highest rates of horse fatalities and injuries, yet the state pays roughly $50 million of taxpayer money into purse prizes each year. The stories go on, but the industry does little in response to scandal after scandal. It’s time to crack down on corruption by ending horseracing’s sweetheart gambling privileges. We must stop the abuse and restore integrity to this once-dignified sport.” 

“Horseracing is the Sport of Kings. Unfortunately, however, it’s plagued by too many unscrupulous trainers, owners, veterinarians and other race track officials who race sickened or injured horses, pumping them full of painkillers or other performance enhancing drugs in order to try to win at all costs,” Pitts said. “Despite years of promises of reform, horseracing groups have been unable to come together to develop uniform rules that protect both horses and the integrity of the sport. This legislation will end a federal exception for gambling on horseracing. Since 2008, over 7,000 race horses have died on America’s racetracks. It’s past time to put measures in place that protect racehorses from abuse at the track.”