Washington horse-racing officials warn HISA assessment could cripple Emerald Downs and statewide industry

Members of the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee heard on Jan. 22 from the Washington Horse Racing Commission and Emerald Downs that a federally created oversight body’s assessment fees are rising and could make parimutuel racing in Washington economically unsustainable.

The commission’s executive secretary, Amanda Benton, and commission chair Doug Moore told the committee that the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) — a federal law enacted in 2020 — has imposed new testing, antidoping and safety programs administered by a private body that bills states and tracks for its costs. Benton said the commission paid about $419,000 to HISA in 2024 and expects a 2025 assessment of roughly $712,000 before credits, which the commission estimates might lower to about $424,000; Moore said HISA’s assessment methodology is expected to change in 2026 and Washington’s bill could rise to between $1.2 million and $1.3 million.

The potential…