More than $27 million dollars has been distributed by the Wyoming Gaming Commission to the Wyoming Breeder's Award Program.

© Wyoming Gaming Commission

CASPER, WY–DECEMBER 4, 2024 –In the past 10 years, Historic Horse Racing distributions have exceeded $6.5 Billion dollars in payouts to players, distributions to cities, towns, and counties, the Breeder's Award Program, the Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account, and to the State of Wyoming.

The Wyoming Gaming Commission, originally known as the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel

Commission, was first established during the 1967 General Session with House Bill No. 130, authorizing pari-mutuel wagering on live racing.

Over the years, the state legislature expanded the scope of the Commission, provided a fund for breeder's awards, authorized simulcasting, and in 2013, House Bill No. 25 redefined simulcast to include historic pari-mutuel events. These landmark bills set the stage for Historic Horse Racing to begin to give back to Wyoming.

Historic Horse Racing wagers are pari-mutuel wagers, meaning that the Operator accepting the wager has no interest in the outcome of the race. Rather, the wagered money is "pooled." When the wagers are placed, the Operator receives a "commission" off the top at approximately 8%.

That "commission" is then used to pay for the horsemen's purses, operating expenses, taxes, and other costs associated with both live horse racing and off track wagering locations. The balance of the pool, the remaining 92%, is then returned to the patrons who place winning wagers.

The system for Historic Horse Racing contains thousands of previously run horse races. Although the identities of the exact race and the horses racing are withheld from the patron prior to playing, the patron is provided with actual handicapping information from the race at the date and time it was run, to use in making an informed wager.

The Historic Horse Racing machines are only allowed to operate at licensed and highly regulated facilities that are approved by the Wyoming Gaming Commission.

Historic Horse Racing has helped to restore the viability of the state's horse racing industry by increasing live race dates and supplementing purses for Wyoming horsemen, as well as providing billions of dollars in payouts to the public. In 2010, there was no live horse racing in the state of Wyoming.

Just three years later in 2013, there were 10 days of live horse racing, and Historic Horse Racing machines began operating for 26 days in December where $398,960.45 was returned to the wagering public.

2014 was the first full year of Historic Horse Racing in Wyoming and $104,755,928.05 was returned to the wagering public. During that 20 day live horse racing season, $838,150.00 was distributed to enhance purses and began an upward rise in the advancement of the sport throughout the state.

Over the course of 10 years, both the horse racing and off-track betting industries have grown immensely and in 2023 there were 52 scheduled days of racing, with $3,675,600.00 in purse contributions, over 4 times the amount contributed to purses for live horse racing in 2014.

Additionally in 2023, $1,542,312,600.79 was returned to the wagering public and is nearly 15 times the amount returned in 2014 from Historic Horse Racing.

Overall, Historic Horse Racing paid a staggering $6.4 billion dollars in payouts to players from 2013-2023.

Coupled with live horse racing, the Wyoming Gaming Commission is also the official registrar and administrators of the Breeders Award Program which was created to promote the improved breeding and development of the horse industry within the state.

$27 million dollars has been distributed to the Breeder's Award Program over the past 10 years. In 2013, only $1,868.94 was distributed from Historic Horse Racing to the program. Whereas, in 2023, $6,778,892.86 was distributed from Historic Horse Racing which has sparked nationwide interest in having horses bred and residing in Wyoming. This has profoundly contributed to the viability of the state's horse racing industry.

Historic Horse Racing has also distributed $69 million dollars to cities, towns, and counties between 2013-2023 from one percent (1%) of the total amount wagered that is attributable to historic pari-mutuel events, to the county and the city or town in which the off-track betting site is located, in equal shares, or to the county alone if the location is not located within the boundaries of a city or town.

In 2013, $4,672.36 was distributed in equal shares to the cities and counties where the 8 off-track betting facilities were located. Ten years later in 2023, there were a total of 43 off-track betting locations throughout the state where $8,210,154.04 went to cities and towns, and another $8,737,078.10 went to counties in unrestricted tax revenue.

Of the 23 counties in Wyoming, only 16 have voter approval for pari-mutuel wagering and have the option to allow Historic Horse Racing to take place.

As the regulatory agency, the Wyoming Gaming Commission is dedicated to the protection of the wagering public and the health, safety, and welfare of the participants in all lawful gaming and pari-mutuel activity. While in pursuit of this mission as a self-funded state agency, Historic Horse Racing has contributed $22 million dollars from 2013-2023 for the operations of the Gaming Commission office.

However, in 2020, the agency had an excess of funds, which was then distributed in a one-time donation of $2 million dollars to the Wyoming State Fair endowment, another $200,000 dollars for predator management, and $2.3 million dollars to the Legislative Reserve Stabilization Account. A state statute was also then enacted that requires any amount over $1.5 million dollars in the Gaming Commission account to be rolled over to the LSRA each quarter.

Of the $22 million distributed to the state Gaming Commission office during the last decade, over $10 million dollars of it has been rolled over into the LSRA.

The Legislative Reserve Stabilization Account (LSRA) is utilized by the state to address budget shortfalls, emergencies, and appropriations. Historic Horse Racing Operators must pay an amount equal to one-quarter percent (1/4%) of the total amount wagered attributable to historic pari-mutuel events to the LSRA.

In 2020, pursuant to Wyo. Statutes § 11-25-201(d), the Wyoming Gaming Commission began disbursing money to the LSRA and Historic Horse Racing contributed $1,692,975.40. In 2023, $4,236,808.05 was contributed to the LSRA from Historic Horse Racing.

The Wyoming Gaming Commission's Executive Director Charles Moore stated that "the past decade has seen an unprecedented turnaround in live horse racing with the legislature's authorization of Historic Horse Racing. The benefit to the state of Wyoming as a whole has created a lasting impact thanks to the vision of Senator Schiffer and Representative Wallis, the original bill sponsors in 2013."

Historic Horse Racing has created an opportunity for various industries to thrive throughout the state. All of the increases have had a remarkable direct impact on the Cowboy State. Historic Horse Racing has given back by creating economic stability for the state by bolstering cities, towns, and counties, by contributing to the patrons and state accounts, by creating new jobs, and by enticing tourism, with the overall benefit directly impacting the agriculture industry in Wyoming.

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About the Wyoming Gaming Commission
The primary mission of the Wyoming Gaming Commission (WGC) is the protection of the wagering public and the health, safety, and welfare of the participants in all lawful gaming and pari-mutuel activity. Responsible gaming is an integral part of the Commission’s daily operations. Together with our partners, the Commission is committed to fostering an environment of responsible gaming, and addressing problem gambling head on, to ensure that patrons play responsibly and provide help to those who many need it.