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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4 FILED ON: 11/2/2022
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4
So much of the recommendations of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (House, No. 3) as
relates to further regulate horse racing. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to further regulate horse racing.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
to further regulate simulcasting, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law,
necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION A1. Chapter 128C of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
2following section:-
3 Section 9. Notwithstanding sections 1 to 8, inclusive, or any other general or special law
4to the contrary, no racing meeting licensee, including a licensee holding racing meetings in
5connection with a state or county fair, as defined in section 1 of chapter 128A, shall simulcast or
6accept a simulcast wager on greyhound dog racing.
7 SECTION 1. The first paragraph of section 12A of chapter 494 of the acts of 1978 is
8hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 1 of
9chapter 128 of the Acts of 2022, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until
10July 31, 2026. 2 of 5
11 SECTION 2. The last paragraph of said section 12A of said chapter 494 is hereby
12amended by striking out the words “July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 2 of said chapter 128, and
13inserting in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2026.
14 SECTION 3. The introductory paragraph of section 13 of said chapter 494 is hereby
15amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 3 of said
16chapter 128, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2026.
17 SECTION 4. Section 15 of said chapter 494 is hereby amended by striking out the words
18“and until July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 4 of said chapter 128, and inserting in place thereof
19the following words:- and until July 31, 2026.
20 SECTION 5. The first paragraph of section 9 of chapter 277 of the acts of 1986 is hereby
21amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 5 of said
22chapter 128, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2026.
23 SECTION 6. The first sentence of the first paragraph of section 3 of chapter 114 of the
24acts of 1991 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2023”, inserted by
25section 6 of said chapter 128, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July
2631, 2026.
27 SECTION 7. The last paragraph of said section 3 of said chapter 114 is hereby amended
28by striking out the words “July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 7 of said chapter 128, and inserting
29in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2026. 3 of 5
30 SECTION 8. The first paragraph of section 4 of said chapter 114 is hereby amended by
31striking out the words “and until July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 8 of said chapter 128, and
32inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2026.
33 SECTION 9. The last paragraph of said section 4 of said chapter 114 is hereby amended
34by striking out the words “July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 9 of said chapter 128, and inserting
35in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2026.
36 SECTION 10. The first paragraph of section 5 of said chapter 114 is hereby amended by
37striking out the words “and until July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 10 of said chapter 128, and
38inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2026.
39 SECTION 11. Section 45 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2001 is hereby amended by
40striking out the words “July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 11 of said chapter 128, and inserting
41in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2026.
42 SECTION 12. Section 20 of chapter 449 of the acts of 2006 is hereby amended by
43striking out the words “July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 12 of said chapter 128, and inserting
44in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2026.
45 SECTION 13. Section 92 of chapter 194 of the acts of 2011 is hereby amended by
46striking out the words “July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 13 of said chapter 128, and inserting
47in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2026.
48 SECTION 14. Section 112 of said chapter 194 is hereby amended by striking out the
49words “July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 14 of said chapter 128, and inserting in place thereof
50the following words:- July 31, 2026. 4 of 5
51 SECTION 15. Section 74 of chapter 10 of the acts of 2015 is hereby amended by striking
52out the words “July 31, 2023”, inserted by section 15 of said chapter 128, and inserting in place
53thereof the following words:- July 31, 2026.
54 SECTION 16. Section 17 of chapter 128 of the Acts of 2022 is hereby repealed.
55 SECTION 17. Notwithstanding section 2 of chapter 128A of the General Laws and
56sections 1, 2, 2A and 4 of chapter 128C of the General Laws or any other general or special law
57to the contrary, the running race horse meeting licensee located in Suffolk county licensed to
58conduct live racing pursuant to said chapter 128A and simulcast wagering pursuant to said
59chapter 128C in calendar year 2022 shall remain licensed as a running horse racing meeting
60licensee until July 31, 2026 and shall remain authorized to conduct simulcast wagering pursuant
61to said chapter 128C until July 31, 2026; provided, however, that the days between the effective
62date of this act and July 31, 2026 shall be dark days pursuant to said chapter 128C and the
63licensee shall be precluded from conducting live racing during that period unless it applies for
64and is granted a supplemental live racing license pursuant to said chapter 128A; provided further,
65that all simulcasts shall comply with the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978, 15 U.S.C. 3001 et
66seq. or other applicable federal law; provided further, that all simulcasts from states which have
67racing associations that do not require approval in compliance with the Interstate Horse Racing
68Act of 1978, 15 U.S.C. 3004(a)(1)(A) shall require the approval of the New England Horsemen’s
69Benevolent & Protective Association prior to being simulcast to a racing meeting licensee within
70the commonwealth; and provided further, that if the association agrees to approve the simulcast
71for 1 racing meeting licensee, it shall approve the simulcast for all otherwise eligible racing
72meeting licensees. 5 of 5
73 SECTION 18. Section A1 shall take effect on August 1, 2023.