This public policy may be making one or more types of gaming illegal, or a change in the regulatory scheme of one or more types of gaming, or simply to maintain the status quo as far as allowing the activity to continue under the current regulatory practices. While the most attention is being paid to the lottery and Indian casinos, racing is also being studied to a lessor degree. Whether one or both of the major tracks in the State of Oregon will continue to exist through the 6 years covered by this plan is open to debate. If both do, Oregon will continue to have both horse and greyhound racing. If one of the tracks, closes that class of racing will likely cease to exist in Oregon in any meaningful degree.
Current statute precludes the remaining track from conducting both classes of racing.
If both tracks close, save a new facility being built, racing in the State of Oregon will for all practical purposes be dead. The statutory prohibition against running both classes of racing at a single location by a single operator greatly hinders the possibility of offering a year around operation and would greatly reduce the economic impact of racing to the State of Oregon. Other tracks in Oregon may attempt to exist, however, the activity at those tracks would not be enough to support the industry or the regulatory framework necessary to protect the public's interest. The amount of additional forms of gambling in Oregon that will compete with racing is going to be largely dependent upon the work of the Governor's Task Force on Gaming and their recommendations, and how many and which of these recommendations are enacted. If some of these forms of competing gambling are eliminated, racing would probably benefit.