Arizona Senate Committees Advance HHR Gaming Bill

The Arizona Senate this week moved a gaming bill through two committees—one unanimously—and it now awaits an assignment date for a vote by the full Senate.

Senate Bill 1794 passed the Appropriations and Rules committees, with wide support voiced by hundreds of horse enthusiasts, small business owners, and community leaders. The bill authorizes historic horse racing, providing up to $140 million in new state tax revenues, as well as desperately needed support for the state's horse racing industry. 

"This long-overdue modernization effort will help the many local businesses that support the horse racing industry and also provide much-needed revenue to the state," said Save Arizona Horse Racing spokeswoman Lorna Romera. "Arizona has an ideal climate for hosting year-round horse races and attracting fans, horses, breeders, trainers, and others looking to escape the hostile environment in California. We urge members of the legislature to seize on this opportunity to make Arizona the premier destination in the country for horse racing."

Horse racing has been a key economic driver in Arizona for decades—creating thousands of jobs, supporting hundreds of local businesses and generating millions of dollars in state and local tax revenues. But since 2004, Arizona has seen parimutuel handles drop by $55 million a year, purses drop by $5 million a year, and live racing attendance has dropped 45%.

Senate Bill 1794 would modernize Arizona wagering laws while limiting the number of HHR terminals to just 15% of tribal gaming positions—minimizing any impact on those revenues. HHR also relies on pari-mutuel wagering, which was legal in Arizona before tribal gaming compacts began, so their authorization would not violate those state agreements.

If passed, the measure would generate between $100 million and $140 million in new state tax revenues, create 4,000 new jobs and lead to more than $300 million in capital investments in Arizona Downs, a shuttered horse racing track north of Phoenix. In addition, daily purses would increase from $80,000 to $300,000, positioning Arizona to be an industry leader.

More information about legislative efforts is available at www.savearizonahorseracing.com.