An Act To Ensure the Economic Viability of the Harness Racing Industry
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0642
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: USHER, PENDLETON, CLARK, HATCH, SHERMAN, TARDY
Amends: 8 MRSA §275-B, 17 MRSA §314-A, 17 MRSA §324

Legislative Document 
No. 642 
H.P.472 
House of Representatives, February 11, 2003 
An Act To Ensure the Economic Viability of the Harness Racing 
Industry 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative USHER of Westbrook. 
Cosponsored by Senator PENDLETON of Cumberland and 
7t/~ 
/J7. 7ll1J£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: CLARK of Millinocket, DUGA Y of Cherryfield, HATCH of Skowhegan, 
SHERMAN of Hodgdon, TARDY of Newport. 
Prinled on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §275-B. sub-§3 is enacted to read: 
3. 
Live. simulcast or replayed races. 
A commercial track 
may sell pari-mutuel pools on live, simulcast or replayed horse 
races using technology determined by the commission by rule as 
being most beneficial to the industry. 
Such technology must 
include, 
but not 
be 
limited to, 
telephone 
account wagering. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical 
rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 2. 17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§l, as amended by PL 1991, c. 426, 
§3 and affected by §9, is further amended to read: 
1. 
Eligible organizations. 
The Chief of the State Police 
may issue licenses to operate high-stakes beano or high-stakes 
bingo 
to 
any 
federally 
recognized 
Indian 
tribe 
or 
to 
any 
commercial track, 
as defined in Title 8, 
section 275-A, 
that 
conducted racing on more than 100 days in each of the previous 2 
calendar years. 
A. 
The Chief of the State Police may also issue, to any 
federally recognized tribe, licenses to sell lucky seven or 
other similar sealed tickets in accordance with section 324. 
B. 
In conjunction with the operation of high-stakes beano, 
federally 
recognized Indian tribes 
and 
commercial 
tracks 
holding a license under this section may advertise and offer 
prizes for attendance with a value of up to $25,000 under 
the terms prescribed for raffles in section 331, subsection 
6. 
Any prize awarded under this paragraph must be awarded 
only 
on 
the 
basis 
of 
a 
ticket 
of 
admission 
to 
the 
high-stakes beano game and may only be awarded to a person 
who holds an admission ticket. 
Sec. 3. 17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1991, c. 426, 
§5, is further amended to read: 
5. 
Restrictions. 
No 
license 
may 
be 
transferred 
or 
assigned. 
No 
more than one license may be issued under this 
section to any federally recognized Indian tribe for anyone 
period. 
No more than one licensee may operate or conduct a beano 
game or high-stakes beano game on the same premises on the same 
date. 
All games must be conducted within the Indian Territory of 
the 
licensed 
organization 
or 
within 
the 
enclosure 
of 
the 
racetrack where the licensed race or race meet is conducted. 
Sec.4. 17 MRS A §314-A, sub-§10 is enacted to read: 
Page l-LR1200(1) 
10. 
Commercial tracks. 
Commercial tracks licensed under 
this section must dedicate 50°" of the net profit from the games 
conducted to capital improvements at the racing facilities. 
Sec. 5. 17 MRSA §324, first~. as amended by PL 1997, c. 373, 
§8, is further amended to read: 
We Except as otherwise provided in section 314-A, no "Beano" 
game may be conducted at any location where any lottery or other 
game of chance is conducted, nor may any lottery or other game of 
chance be conducted during the period of one hour before the 
conduct of any 
"Beano" 
game at the specific location of the 
"Beano" 
game, 
except 
that 
the 
following 
lotteries 
may 
be 
conducted during the period of one hour before the conduct of 
"Beano" games. 
Sec. 6. 17 MRSA §324. sub-§3. as amended by PL 1997, c. 
, 
§8, is further amended to read: 
3. 
Lucky seven. 
Lucky seven or similar sealed tickets may 
be sold when that game of chance is licensed by the Chief of the 
State Police and when a valid license certificate is properly 
displayed. 
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section 
and section 312, Lucky seven games may be conducted during the 
period beginning 2 hours before and ending 2 hours after any 
"Beano" game and during those times when a commercial track, as 
defined 
in 
Title 
8, 
section 
275-A, 
is 
licensed 
to 
accept 
pari-mutuel wagers. 
A. 
Notwithstanding any other rule, 
Lucky 
similar sealed tickets may be sold that have 
$1 or less. 
SUMMARY 
seven or other 
a sale value of 
The purpose of this bill is to expand wagering opportunities 
at racetracks in the State. 
This bill accomplishes the following: 
1. 
It authorizes the sale of pari-mutuel pools on live, 
simulcast or replayed horse races by commercial tracks: and 
2. 
It authorizes 
the 
issuance 
to 
commercial 
tracks of 
licenses to conduct high-stakes beano.