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Committee sets 0.4% floor for pari‑mutuel purse contributions and asks LSO for clean draft
Summary
LSO presented a draft to require permittees to contribute a percentage of pari‑mutuel handle to live racing purses; the committee adopted a 0.4% floor as a working number, directed LSO to protect existing contracts until permit renewal, and asked for a clean draft.
The Select Committee on Gaming reviewed a working draft (27 LSO 0054) that would require a minimum contribution from pari‑mutuel wagering to fund live horse‑racing purses in Wyoming. LSO explained the proposal would add a condition to permittees that at least a specified percentage of handle attributable to historic pari‑mutuel events and live events be dedicated to purses for Wyoming live racing.
Director Nick Laramundi testified the contribution should be tied to each permittee’s live event permit and that collections should be calculated from the prior year’s handle so purses can be set for the upcoming race season. He suggested an initial working floor equal to the current breeder award percentage (0.4%) as a starting point. Industry witnesses noted many purses are already contractually funded and asked for language protecting existing contracts; the committee instructed LSO to include renewal‑based implementation language to avoid impairing contracts until permittees renew.
The committee adopted a 0.4% floor as a working number and asked LSO to prepare a clean draft with non‑impairment/renewal language for its next meeting.
