New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 13 - LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY
Chapter 74C - EXCHANGE WAGERING
Subchapter 3 - TRANSFER OR ASSIGNMENT OF EXCHANGE WAGERING LICENSE TO A SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST; OPERATION OF EXCHANGE WAGERING SYSTEM BY PERSON OR ENTITY OTHER THAN THE EXCHANGE WAGERING LICENSEE; IN-STATE REQUIREMENT FOR EXCHANGE WAGERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS; REGULATORY COSTS; EXCHANGE WAGERING SYSTEM REVENUE DISTRIBUTION
Section 13:74C-3.5 - Required distributions of certain exchange revenues and net exchange wagering revenues; audit requirement
Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) The exchange wagering licensee shall distribute the exchange revenues in accordance with the following priority categories:
(b) One year from the date when the exchange wagering system first became operational, the exchange wagering licensee shall cause a comprehensive audit to commence regarding the exchange revenues accumulated during such time period, to be performed by an outside and independent certified public accountant acceptable to the Commission. The exchange wagering licensee shall file with the Commission, no later than eight months from the date when the exchange wagering system first became operational, a written petition identifying the proposed outside certified public accountant, as well as an alternative, for approval by the Commission. The Commission shall find the outside certified public accountant, proposed by the exchange wagering licensee, to be acceptable where the licensee establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the proposed outside certified public accountant is qualified to perform the audit, and that there are no conflicts of interest present that would preclude it from performing the audit. Such comprehensive audit shall accurately disclose the exchange revenues accumulated and distributed or available for distribution pursuant to (a)1 through 5 above during the first year of operation of the exchange wagering system, as well as the net exchange revenues available for distribution pursuant to (a)6 above. The certified public accountant shall conclude his or her work within one year and three months from the date when the exchange wagering system first became operational, and on or before such date, shall file a written report with the exchange wagering licensee with a copy to the Commission. The Commission may, in its discretion, require additional audits of any aspect of the exchange wagering system, to be performed by an outside and independent certified public accountant, and to be paid for by the exchange wagering licensee as required at (a)2 above, as part of the license conditions it imposes on the exchange wagering licensee.
(c) The portion of exchange revenues, to be distributed to overnight purses pursuant to (a)5 above, shall be distributed between the standardbred and thoroughbred overnight races as follows. Of such monies distributed to overnight purses, all moneys derived from exchange wagering on thoroughbred races shall be paid to overnight purses for thoroughbred races at each permitted racetrack in the State where such racing is conducted, and all monies derived from exchange wagering on standardbred races shall be paid to overnight purses for standardbred races at each permitted racetrack in the State where such racing is conducted, and none of these funds may be used, directly or indirectly, for purposes other than overnight purses. However, starting * * March 18, 2027, this formula for allocating overnight purse monies from exchange wagering may be modified by the mutual written agreement of the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey, Inc., and the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Inc., provided that such agreement does not include provisions that allow for these funds to be used, directly or indirectly, for purposes other than overnight purses, and provided that such agreement does not exclude the use of such funds in connection with any permitted racetrack in this State.
(d) Within one year from the date when the exchange wagering system first became operational, the exchange wagering licensee shall enter into a written business agreement with all racetrack permitholders for the distribution of the net exchange revenues remaining after the distributions required at (a)1 through 5 above.
(e) In the event that the exchange wagering licensee and racetrack permitholders are unable to arrive at a fully executed business agreement within one year from the date when the exchange wagering system first became operational, as set forth at (d) above, the exchange wagering licensee shall notify the Commission, in writing, of such inability, within one year and 10 days from the date that the exchange wagering system first became operational. The Commission, in such event, shall assume permanent responsibility for annually distributing the net exchange wagering revenues amongst the exchange wagering licensee and the permitholders. Prior to rendering its decision, the Commission, in its discretion, may retain an outside expert, with knowledge of standardbred racing and thoroughbred racing, and the wagering incident thereto, for the purposes of conducting proceedings and/or mediating between the exchange wagering licensee and racetrack permitholders, and rendering to the Commission a non-binding written recommendation on how the net exchange revenues should be allocated amongst the exchange wagering licensee and racetrack permitholders. The services of such expert shall be paid for by the exchange wagering licensee, and such costs shall be reimbursed to it from exchange revenues, as regulatory costs pursuant to (a)1 above. After providing the exchange wagering licensee and each racetrack permitholder with a copy of the written recommendation of any retained outside expert, and the opportunity to provide comment, in writing, to the Commission regardless of whether the Commission retains such an expert, the Commission shall at a public meeting render a decision distributing the net exchange revenues amongst the exchange wagering licensee and the racetrack permitholders, as its deems appropriate. In arriving at its decision, the Commission shall consider the following factors:
(f) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as prohibiting the exchange wagering licensee and racetrack permitholders from presenting for the Commission's consideration at any time, a fully executed written business agreement recommending how the net exchange wagering revenues should be distributed amongst them, for any year or years. However, where such an agreement is not presented within one year from the date that the exchange wagering system first became operational, pursuant to (d) above, such agreement shall not be binding on the Commission in its determination on how to distribute the net exchange revenues.