Delaware General Assembly

Signed 5/14/09

The General Assembly has ended, the current status is the final status.

HB 100

4/6/09

Schwartzkopf

Sen. DeLuca
Rep. Longhurst

Sen. Henry, Katz, Sokola
Reps. Barbieri, Gilligan, Hudson, Keeley, Lavelle, M. Smith, Plant, Schooley, B. Short, Viola

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE LOTTERY.

SYNOPSIS This bill requires the Lottery Director to use his or her authority to reestablish a sports lottery, which will enhance the Delaware Lottery, protect Delaware employment, and provide additional revenues for the State. The sports lottery excludes collegiate sporting events that involve a Delaware college or university. Persons under the age of 21 will not be allowed to participate in the sports lottery. In reestablishing the sports lottery, the bill would take advantage of an exemption granted to the State of Delaware under federal law, namely the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which allows the states of Delaware, Nevada, Oregon, and Montana to engage in sports betting. This bill would authorize the conduct of a sports lottery only at the three racinos presently operating. Proceeds from the conduct of a sports lottery at the racinos would be divided equally between the racinos and the State. The bill imposes a collective annual license fee of $4,500,000, which is to be divided among the three racinos in proportion to each property's percentage of the State's total video lottery net proceeds. The bill also decreases the commission currently paid to the three racinos, thereby increasing the share of video lottery proceeds received by the State. Under this bill, the State's share of expected revenue would be increased approximately 8%, from 37% to 45%, the commission paid to the three racinos would be decreased by approximately 7%, and the share of proceeds to be distributed to the purse accounts for thoroughbred and standardbred racing would be decreased by approximately 1%. The bill also creates a Video and Sports Lottery Study Commission, which shall undertake two studies. First, on or before December 1, 2009, the Commission shall study and report back to the General Assembly on the legislative, regulatory and operational aspects of table gaming in Delaware, including the timeline for implementation of table gaming should the General Assembly seek to do so. Second, on or before April 1, 2010, the Commission shall study whether the State should expand the number of lottery venues, including both additional casinos and additional venues for the conduct of only a sports lottery. The Commission shall be composed of nine members, including three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, three members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore, one appointee of the Governor, the Secretary of Finance and the Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office. At least one of the appointees of each of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be a member of the minority party.

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Takes effect upon being signed into law

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