State thoroughbred industry leaders come together to testify before New York State Senate Standing Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering

by Pat Mckenna; Andy Belfiore; Jeff Cannizzo

On Wednesday, January 24, the New York State Senate Standing Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering held a public hearing to discuss the potential of sports betting in New York State.

Three representatives of New York's thoroughbred racing and breeding industry - New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) CEO and President Chris Kay, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association President Joseph Appelbaum, and New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Executive Director Jeffrey Cannizzo - provided oral and written testimony to the committee.

As noted throughout the hearing, existing horseracing organizations and racetracks have decades of experience working under New York State's regulatory framework to provide quality wagering services. If sports wagering were to move forward in New York, allowing racetracks the opportunity to participate will provide the public with greater consumer choice, added convenience and a trusted place to bet on sports.

In addition to their oral and written testimony, industry leaders issued these public statements:

NYRA CEO and President Chris Kay: "The New York Racing Association possesses more than 60 years of experience working under comprehensive state regulatory oversight to provide our loyal customers with quality wagering services. It is because of that quality service and depth of experience that horseracing organizations like NYRA should be able to offer sports wagering within a continued framework of effective state regulation. To limit this service to casinos, who collectively possesses far less history and experience in New York, would disrupt long-standing relationships and deprive our residents of consumer choice. That is why we ask the state, when considering the future of sports gambling, to permit NYRA racetracks to offer this service to increase competition and consumer choice to provide the best possible wagering services for our residents."

NYTHA President Joseph Appelbaum: "The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association strongly supports extending sports wagering to the existing bet-taking system with its well-known history, integrity and participants. New York has a unique opportunity to establish a modern wagering architecture designed to serve the residents of New York, support jobs and deliver a consistent revenue stream to state government. When considering the future of sports wagering, we would encourage the state to utilize the existing network of racetracks and OTBs because it is the best way to ensure a widely available, well-regulated system that best serves New York and its residents."

NYTB Executive Director Jeffrey Cannizzo: "The New York Thoroughbred Breeders is proud of the racing product New York currently offers, and is open to encouraging opportunities for new gaming dollars in the state. We look forward to working with NYRA, the horsemen and owners, as well as our friends in the casino industry, and the State, to ensure that the most successful form of sports betting is made available to New York residents. We believe that racetracks and OTBs, along with digital platforms like NYRA Bets, have a rightful place in the future of sports betting in the state. That is why we believe that now is the time to begin the process of amending State law and, if necessary, the State Constitution, to be ahead of the rest of the country in the event that PASPA is wholly struck down by the Court."