Illinois Racing Board

The board discussed and approved several items, including the appointment of a race official at Hawthorne Race Course for 2021 and an amendment to Arlington Park's stall application regarding insurance requirements. The board also established contracting goals for 2021 for organization licensees concerning minority, female, and disability-owned businesses, and certified recapture amounts for various racetracks for the 2021 calendar year.

The Illinois Racing Board's Language Access Plan (LAP) is designed to provide meaningful access to its services, programs, and activities for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals. The plan outlines policies and practices for offering free language assistance services, including oral interpretation and translation of vital documents, with a primary focus on Spanish. Key components include staff training, continuous assessment of language needs, monitoring of language assistance activities, and a complaint resolution process, all aimed at ensuring effective communication and equitable access. The plan is subject to biennial review and annual modification to enhance its effectiveness.

The agenda for the meeting includes public commentary, an update from the President & General Manager of Hawthorne Race Course, Inc & Suburban Downs, Inc, and several requests for approval regarding racing officials for calendar year 2026 submitted by Fairmount Park, Inc and Hawthorne Race Course, Inc. Staff requests include approval of contracting goals for 2026 for organization licensees and certification of purse recapture authorized under the Illinois Horse Racing Act. The agenda also covers the 2026 update for the Racing Industry Charitable Foundation and concluding commissioner comments before adjournment.

During the regular board meeting, the primary agenda items focused on licensing approvals for calendar year 2026. This included the unanimous approval of totalizator licensees, advance deposit wagering licensees (including ODS Technologies/TVG/FanDuel, NYRA Bets, Churchill Downs Technology Initiatives Company, and others), and intertrack wagering licensees. Furthermore, the board approved various occupation licensees to operate as concessionaires at different Off-Track Betting (OTB) locations and reviewed proposed board meeting schedules for 2026. A staff request for the approval of a pari-mutuel tax credit was also unanimously approved.

The Illinois Racing Board meeting addressed several key items. The board approved a race official at Hawthorne Race Course for the year 2021. They also approved a change to Arlington Park's existing stall application, mandating that all trainers maintain general liability insurance with specific coverage amounts. Additionally, the board approved contracting goals for 2021 for organization licensees, focusing on minority-owned, female-owned, and businesses owned by persons with disabilities. The board certified recapture amounts for the calendar year 2021 for various racing entities, including Arlington Park, Hawthorne Race Course (Thoroughbred and Harness), and Fairmount Park (Thoroughbred and Illinois Colt Stakes Fund).