2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIFTEEN - Sports and Parks (§§ 1 — 2020) › Subtitle 1 - Generally (§§ 1 — 915) › Chapter 11 - Horse Racing (§§ 181 — 198y) › § 198w - Electronic video games system; regulations; implementation

(1) An electronic video games system is hereby authorized and established solely and exclusively in those premises where horse racing agents operate, through which a person may participate in the various modalities of said games. Likewise, the use of an interactive computer system is hereby authorized to allow registering the bets at the time they are made.
(2) With the collaboration of the Executive Director of the Tourism Company and the Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, the Board shall be responsible for adopting and promulgating the regulations needed for the implementation of the electronic video games system pursuant to the provisions of §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Uniform Administrative Procedures Act of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”. The provisions of said regulations, to be implemented by the Administrator, without their being construed as a limitation, shall be the following:
(a) The electronic video games system shall be operated only on those days on which horse races are held.
(b) The product of the games played in the electronic video games system, minus the prizes paid, shall be remitted by the horse racing agent to the operating enterprise or deposited with banking institutions expressly authorized by the operating enterprise for such purposes, on the date or within the term established by the operating enterprise. The latter may require that the horse racing agent establish a special account at a banking institution through which electronic transfers may be made in order to receive the monies on account of the plays, make payments to and receive payments from the operating enterprise.
(c) The operating enterprise is hereby authorized to negotiate and execute contracts with providers for the design and implementation of the electronic video games system.
(d) The net receipts proceeding from the operations of the electronic video games system shall be covered into a special account created by the operating enterprise.
(e) As of February 1, 2006, and subsequently on February 1st of each year, the Administrator shall submit an annual report on the implementation of the electronic video games system to the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(3) Furthermore, the regulations shall contain or establish, without it being construed as a limitation, the following:
(a) The undesirable practices that must be prohibited to safeguard and maintain the public trust in the authorized electronic video games system and provide the sanctions and administrative fines applicable for incurring the same;
(b) the installation of a computer system for registering the bets, as well as authorize the use of electronic equipment or systems to issue a receipt to each player indicating the play selected and any other information deemed necessary;
(c) the bonds that the racetrack license holder, the horse racing agents and the providers must post to guarantee compliance with their obligations;
(d) the type of game that is to be adopted and the manner in which to play the same;
(e) the number of prizes and their amounts;
(f) the manner in which the prizes are to be paid;
(g) the reports that must be submitted by the horse racing agents, related to the transactions for the plays, as well as the manner in which these must be filed and the information they must contain, and
(h) all other matters necessary and convenient for the efficient operation of the electronic video games system or for the convenience of the public.
(4) For the purposes of this section and §§ 198x, 198y of this title, the terms that appear below shall have the following meaning:
(a) Account for race prizes. — Means the account maintained by a racetrack to pay the monies to the owner of a racehorse for the performance of said horse in an official race according to the regulations of the Horse Racing Industry and Sport Administration. It includes regular, supplementary or retroactive prizes, donations, gratuities, gifts or any monies received by an owner as direct or indirect results of the participation of the owner’s horse in an official race.
(b) Horse Racing Agents Commission Fund. — Means the fund referred to in § 198x of this title.
(c) Net receipts on operations. — Means the total product of the games played from all games that comprise the electronic video games system, after discounting the prizes paid by the horse racing agents and the operating enterprise.
(d) Game played. — Means the selection made by the player as to the type of game as evidenced in a receipt.
(e) Provider. — Means the person who owns or operates the tangible and intangible assets that comprise an electronic video game.
(f) Electronic video games system or electronic video game: — Means that transaction or operation through terminals located in the premises operated by horse racing agents that allow a person to participate in electronic games through which, by chance, said person may receive credits that may be redeemed for cash.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 83, p. 296, added as § 28 on June 5, 2004, No. 139, § 17.