TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would require off-track betting facilities to pay four percent of their net wagering revenues to host municipalities was unanimously approved by the Senate Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee today.
“Off-track wagering is a novel approach to reenergize the horse racing industry and spur economic investment in a community,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “However, as we’ve seen in my hometown of Woodbridge, taxpayers are very concerned that they might have to foot the bill for increased traffic, noise pollution and crime. By requiring off-track betting parlors to invest back into their host communities, we can provide an incentive for towns to host these facilities and ensure that any additional local costs are borne on the backs of the off-track facility operators.”