North Carolina to discuss bill that would legalise betting on horse races
Two North Carolina senators are promoting a bill to regulate professional thoroughbred racing in the state.
US.- Two senators are promoting a bill to regulate professional thoroughbred racing in the state. The bill would create a racing commission to promote and regulate a thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.
The bipartisan bill, dubbed the North Carolina Derby Act, was presented by Senators Paul Lowe (D-Forsyth) and Jim Perry (R-Lenoir).
It would allow the Lottery Commission to create a new Racing Office that would be “vested with control of all horse racing in the State and with power to adopt rules under which racing and wagering shall be conducted.”
The Racing Commission would “develop a long-term plan for racing in North Carolina to determine the appropriate location and number of tracks to be built in this State so as to position any major track and its purse structure in the upper segment of good quality tracks while creating a strong breeding, foaling, and training structure throughout the State.”
According to Lowe, commercial thoroughbred racing presents an opportunity for economic development in the state. He said: “It’s a billion-dollar industry. You start looking at restaurants, hotels and all of the things that go around with this kind of agricultural sporting event-there’s a lot that goes into it.”
