It's now illegal to accept online horse bets from Texas.

[FiveWide]

Originally Posted by Jeff P

Mike Mayo is a horseplayer from Texas and someone who has earned my repsect. Last week I asked him if he wouldn't mind doing some digging into the reasons the Texas Racing Commission decided to go in this direction.

Here is a link to a .pdf doc where he explains his findings:
http://www.jcapper.com/messageboard/...exasADWLaw.pdf


-jp

.

Jeff, my thanks to you and Mike for the info. As a TX resident I'm very concerned. Not sure what if anything can be done. I for one thought the tracks were behind it somehow and that I just couldn't understand.


-Five

[raybo]

I figured as much, that's why I contacted Chuck Trout at the TRC first. His response pretty much said it all, he's being ordered to take the actions the TRC has taken.

I also, stated that if Texas ADW wagers cease it will drastically affect all tracks nationwide.

As of this time I think the ADWs are going to sit back and wait to see the TRC's next move. That's why I worded my reply to Chuck Trout's email the way I did. If he thinks that he might save his job by siding with the state, he's sadly mistaken.

[Robert Goren]

So one time Tea Party hero Rick Perry is behind it. I glad someone besides me discovered that. If I had said it, the conservatives here would have been all over my case. Now maybe some of them will take a better look at a republicans stance on gambling before they vote. I think too many conservatives think that a general anti-government stance means that they would be pro gambling. It has been my experence that is seldom the case.

[hplayer2]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

So one time Tea Party hero Rick Perry is behind it. I glad someone besides me discovered that. If I had said it, the conservatives here would have been all over my case. Now maybe some of them will take a better look at a republicans stance on gambling before they vote. I think too many conservatives think that a general anti-government stance means that they would be pro gambling. It has been my experence that is seldom the case.

Agree 100%! Same as AZ. We have lived in both states and very glad to be gone for good. Many reasons for leaving but the difficulty of being an online horseplayer in AZ was unbearable. I stopped playing there after visiting Tup twice.

Now self-serving, ethically challanged Politicians seem intent upon destroying the sport, game, and the industry itself in Texas.

JMO.
Hp2

[Hosshead]

If you want to show your support for fellow horseplayers in Texas and Arizona, ....
DO NOT DOWNLOAD the racefiles for these tracks again !

[raybo]

Originally Posted by Hosshead

If you want to show your support for fellow horseplayers in Texas and Arizona, ....
DO NOT DOWNLOAD the racefiles for these tracks again !

That's the bottom line. Screw Texas and Arizona tracks, let them try to stay open with just their on-track revenue!

[raybo]

Think about it guys. A portion of the money that would normally go to Texas and Arizona tracks will now be going to YOUR favorite tracks!

This means additional revenue for those tracks, larger handle, larger pools, more dilution, which means lower priced false favorites resulting in higher priced value horses.

It's a no-brainer. You'll help yourself and maybe these 2 states will start asking players, What happened, what is wrong with the way we are doing things? And if they continue to be stupid, well that's their fault if the tracks there have to shut down.

[Tom]

Support tracks that support players.

Screw the rest of them.

[Charli125]

Originally Posted by Tom

Support tracks that support players.

That's it in a nutshell Tom. Well said.

[facorsig]

I learned of this change earlier today when my ADW contacted me advising my account would be closed. I came here to PA to understand the issue. Remember, Texas is the state where alcohol sales are illegal on one side of the street, but the other side is lined with liquor stores.

Arcane horse racing laws are not new to Texas. When SHRP opened, the simulcast building was limited to a certain number of races or tracks. There was also a law that unless the end of the race was broadcast, wagers had to be refunded. This was another law that was never enforced even though I was plagued with losing tickets during a sunspot storm.

The issue of legality for Texas residents wagering through ADWs is quite old. I thought YouBet! was a risk taker in 1999 when they accepted my first ADW account. As a Texas Thoroughbred Association member, I can recall attending meetings where the revenue split of horse and dog racing was discussed from in-state and out-of-state perspectives. The presenter referenced which slices would be impacted by ADW wagers, "but of course those are illegal and I don't need to consider them".

We'll see how this plays out. Personally, I have taken an interlude from wagering due to the economy, but believe I have a right to wager on American horse races in any manner the federal government allows.

[raybo]

Originally Posted by facorsig

I learned of this change earlier today when my ADW contacted me advising my account would be closed.

Which ADW?

[Cholly]

I’m a Twinspires.com customer and a Texas resident. My read is that Twinspires is convinced that the state has no chance of making this stick.

They and the other major ADW’s have a HUGE stake in this. If they were in the least worried, wouldn’t they be giving us “scare” notifications, urging us to contact our state legislators? I’m no lawyer, but guess they are counting on being able to label this action by TX as a violation of interstate commerce protections--and prove it in court.

[Canarsie]

Originally Posted by Cholly

I’m a Twinspires.com customer and a Texas resident. My read is that Twinspires is convinced that the state has no chance of making this stick.

They and the other major ADW’s have a HUGE stake in this. If they were in the least worried, wouldn’t they be giving us “scare” notifications, urging us to contact our state legislators? I’m no lawyer, but guess they are counting on being able to label this action by TX as a violation of interstate commerce protections--and prove it in court.

One good lobbyist is worth their weight in gold. I forgot the name of the person who does it for Betfair here in the states but I would wager he makes much more then any online host. He also handles their poker side trying to get favorable language into a bill.

The problem with urging people to write is that the huge majority doesn't. Nor do they stick together just look at California. I wonder how many people saying don't wager in Texas do on the left coast? This isn't a knock just would find the fact interesting. Most people don't care until it directly affects them.

Both CJ and I wrote letters to Keeneland about a ride. To the best of my knowledge we were the only two and there were lots of people commentating. I never received an answer back but if 98 other people joined in one would bet an "action" would have resulted.

[Robert Goren]

I think the idea that Texas banning ADWs is somehow unconstitutional is crazy. A lot of states, not just TX and AZ, ban them. You are grasping at straws if you think you are going win that in court. If I lived in Texas and wanted to bet with an ADW and the ADWs stopped taking my bets, I would consider moving. There doesn't appear to be any other short term answers if the ADWs stop taking your bets. It will take years to change the law if you can even change the law at all.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Canarsie

Both CJ and I wrote letters to Keeneland about a ride. To the best of my knowledge we were the only two and there were lots of people commentating. I never received an answer back but if 98 other people joined in one would bet an "action" would have resulted.

The fact that you never got an answer back is very telling, IMO...and I doubt that more letters would have had a different effect.

The horse racing industry has developed a very thick skin...and cannot be bothered by trivial things like customer complaints.

I have attended a couple of "open to the public" racing board meetings here in Illinois...and even took the podium once, to speak about the ills of the sport, and the reasons for its decline.

The board members were doing their best to keep from yawning.

IMO...the only "action" a letter-writting campaign would inspire, is a walk to the circular file...