There is good news for the residents of New York State that prohibited from having Internet accounts with out-of-state providers: some rules and regulations allowing the state’s racetracks and offtrack facilities to accept wagering via the Internet were adopted by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board. The rules and regulations should become effective on the 22nd of January. So, NYRA are doing their best to make it possible by the launch date.

“I think this is a breakthrough,” said Bill Nader, the New York Racing Association’s senior vice president and chief operating officer. “If you’re trying to introduce Thoroughbred racing to a new audience, this is a step forward. Somebody under 35 would rather use their personal computer than the telephone. We think our site is going to be very attractive and very exciting”.

At the moment only telephone wagering is offered throughout the state. New rules and regulations will make it possible to make wagers in person using any kind of electronic means: either a cell phone or Internet, or anything else.

Ray Casey, president of New York City OTB, who has been lobbying for Internet wagering for the past two years, says: “To me, it’s part of some of the tools that I thought were critical for not only OTB’s future but horse racing in general: an ability to take advantage of technology and make horse racing more accessible for the X and Y generation”. But he hopes that “by the summer, all of the state’s six OTB corporations could have a common website at which to wager”. But as he claims they are not going to make partners with any of out-of-state providers yet.