Hawthorne Race Course, Inc. v. Illinois Racing Board

PRESIDING JUSTICE McNULTY

delivered the opinion of the court:

This case involves interpretation of an odd provision in the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 (the Act) (230 ILCS 5/1 et seq. (West 2004)). Licensees, who collect the bets and conduct the races, split a portion of the wagers with the horsemen, who own, train and race the horses. The Act specifies the allocation of the total wagered. In 1995 the legislature decided to allow betting on simulcast races, where bettors at a host track bet on races run at a different track and broadcast onto a screen at the host track. Horsemen persuaded…