Over the years the states consistently have acted on the perceived need to closely regulate legal wagering and protect the public's interest in pari-mutuel sports. These regulatory efforts have fostered the growth of racing as a sport. Licensing requirements in the racing industry are extensive. Racing commissions, stewards, and judges issue about 20,000 rulings a year for violations, mostly minor ones. Jockeys and drivers and occasionally other participants are subject to random unannounced drug tests analyzed by independent laboratories.
Security is very intense.
State rules and regulations also govern the care and condition of racing animals. The welfare of the animal is of utmost importance. State's impose a variety of requirements in an effort to ensure that animals are properly trained and physically sound when entered to race. Animals are subject to post-race drug tests for prohibited and restricted substances. States, through their racing commissions, have gone to extraordinary lengths to protect the integrity of the sport, both for fans and participants.