NY Racing Board Opens Up Online Wagering

Is the glass half full or half empty? The latest New York horse racing regulations are causing widespread confusion. A new decision to allow horse racing betting over the Internet is another acceptance of the Internet in the gambling context.

But it comes from a state famed for a zealously anti-online gambling DA and some spectacular sports betting busts, so it all seems a little phony. This week the New York State Racing and Wagering Board accepted new regulations coming into force on January 22 that will allow the state's racetracks and offtrack betting facilities to take wagering via the Internet.

The regulation substantially broadens the current limits, under which “authorised entities” may only offer telephone wagering accounts at OTBs and racetracks in the state, because now account wagers can be made in person, via any telephone device including cell phones, the Internet or other electronic channels.

Bill Nader, the New York Racing Association's senior vice president and chief operating officer said, “I see this as a real breakthrough. If you're trying to introduce thoroughbred racing to a new audience, this is a step forward. Somebody under 35 would rather use their personal computer than the telephone. We think our website is going to be very attractive and very exciting.” Nader said NYRA is working aggressively to get everything in place to allow it to accept Internet wagering by the launch date.

Ray Casey, president of New York City OTB, said he has been lobbying for Internet wagering for the past two years. He said, “I see it as part of the tools that I thought were critical for not only OTB's future but for horse racing in general: an ability to take advantage of technology and make horse racing more accessible for the X and Y generation.”

“I am hopeful that by the summer, all of the state’s six OTB corporations will have a common website at which to wager.” He said he has not ruled out going into partnership with an out-of-state provider if their technology is what we call “best of breed”.

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