All Roll Calls
Yes: 384 • No: 39
IllinoisHB1505104th General Assembly (2025–2026)HouseWALLET
IL RACING BOARD-VARIOUS
Sponsored By: Robert "Bob" Rita (Democratic)
Became Law
gamingassignmentsexecutive
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
15 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 5 costs, 8 mixed.
Costs and limits for off-track betting sites
Tracks can open a limited number of inter‑track wagering sites: up to 9 in certain Mississippi River counties, up to 16 in Stickney Township, up to 18 in Palatine Township, and up to 16 for eligible standardbred tracks. Applications require a $500 certified check and a $50,000 bond to guarantee taxes and proper payouts. Each site must pay 4.75% of its handle to purses and set aside 8% of handle for operating costs, unless a listed exception or transitional rule applies. Simulcast or inter‑track wagering is banned at any track within 4 miles of a track with a live meet.
Racing licensees must post $500,000 bond
Before a racing or wagering license is issued or renewed, the licensee must post a $500,000 bond to the State. The bond guarantees payments, records, reporting, and rule compliance. The surety cannot cancel with less than 30 days’ written notice to the Board. If the bond is canceled and no new bond is filed, the license is revoked.
New revenue splits for wagering sites
At inter-track wagering sites, the remaining money after required payments is split 40% to the site and 60% to the track providing the races. If the license comes from a track in a county with over 230,000 people on the Mississippi River, the site keeps 100% of that remainder. Beginning January 1, 2017, for those large-county non-hosts on interstate simulcast bets, 50% of the retained amount stays with the non-host and 50% goes to purses at the origin track, after taxes and interstate fees. Those large-county tracks and their affiliates cannot share in retention from any other Illinois wagering facility.
Help when betting handle slumps
If statewide betting on Illinois races falls below 75% of 1994, and a facility’s handle is also below 75% of its own 1994 level, the facility may get a payment. The amount equals 2% of the gap between 75% of its 1994 handle and its current handle. The Board must certify the amount and schedule, and the Legislature must fund it each year. Payments come from amounts otherwise payable to the affiliated racetrack’s purse account.
Annual support for backstretch services
Organization licensees must give $750,000 a year in total to nonprofits that help backstretch workers, split by each licensee’s prior‑year wagering share. Madison County tracks pay $30,000 each. Payments are due by July 1 and must be paid within 30 days after notice. A licensee that starts gaming must also pay $83,000 each year beginning the year after it first receives gaming funds. If a track that did not race in 2017 is later awarded dates and all licensees run gaming, the group payment changes to $1,000,000 a year, split by racing days; willful nonpayment can lead to license loss.
Higher wagering taxes for operators
All pari‑mutuel wagering facilities and off‑site ADW pay a 1.5% tax on daily handle beginning January 1, 2000. ADW also pays an extra 0.25% tax starting August 24, 2012, which now goes to the Standardbred Purse Fund. Facilities tied to a track in a Mississippi River border county that raced last year pay an added 0.75% tax on daily handle starting July 26, 2010. When a track also runs gaming, Illinois races at that track face graduated pari‑mutuel tax bands from 1.5% up to 3.5%, based on current daily handle vs the track’s 2011 average.
Caps and splits on simulcast and ADW money
The simulcast commission on ADW Illinois handle is capped at 6% unless the Board allows more. Interstate simulcast commission fees are capped at 5% without prior Board approval. After taxes and fees, simulcast revenue is split: at a host track, 50% to the host and 50% to host purses; at a non‑host, 25% host, 25% non‑host, 50% host purses. Retained ADW money (not the ADW operator’s share) must be split 50/50 between purses and the organization licensee. Unclaimed tickets after December 31 are split 50/50 between the licensee and its purse account. Operators can keep no more than 17% of all money wagered.
No Illinois tax on out of state bets
The law lets Illinois tracks contract with out-of-state or foreign entities to take bets only in that other place. Beginning January 1, 2000, those out-of-state wagers are not taxed by Illinois.
Limits on off-site video gaming ads
A video gaming site cannot use off‑premises or exterior billboard ads, unless the ad is permanently attached to the gaming building or on a permanent pole sign with a foundation. There is a 90‑day grace period after a location gets its license.
Clear rules for betting and minors
You can place an electronic bet while you are on a licensed site, and it counts as made there. A winning ticket must be honored through December 31 of the next year. Licensees may not let minors be wagering patrons, with narrow work‑related exceptions; letting an unaccompanied minor in is a Class C misdemeanor. All advance‑deposit bets made from inside Illinois must use a Board‑approved operator.
How racing money moves to funds
Starting January 1, 2000, receipts from key sections go into the Horse Racing Fund, which can pay Board salaries and costs by appropriation. The older Horse Racing Tax Allocation Fund ended December 31, 1999. On July 3, 2024, $3.2 million moved from the Horse Racing Fund to the Horse Racing Purse Equity Fund. If wagering taxes and fees in a year beat 1994 levels, the first $11 million of the excess becomes next‑year purse money, split using 1994 shares. Some museum payments now go to Museums in the Park (from July 1, 2006), and the Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal gets payments tied to 2006 Miller Park Zoo levels (from July 1, 2007). Also, certain ongoing program and museum payments come from the General Revenue Fund at 1998 or 1994 levels.
New ADW and simulcast operating rules
Tracks can take bets in advance under Board rules. A track may run or contract an ADW system only with the consent of the main horsemen’s group; appeals must be decided in 30 days, and the ADW can keep running during that time. ADW operators cannot take out‑of‑state bets on an Illinois signal without the signal provider’s consent. Past ADW actions from January 1, 2013 to June 7, 2013 are validated if all pari‑mutuel taxes were paid. The Board can require host tracks to carry Springfield or DuQuoin State Fair races in their simulcast programs.
Old racing code sections repealed
Sections 15.1 and 34.3 of the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 are repealed. Those provisions no longer apply.
Special purse split rules by track
For a Madison County track with no standardbred races that year, purse money made between 6:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. is split 80% to thoroughbred purses and 20% to the Illinois Colt Stakes Fund. If the track has no thoroughbred races that year, purse money made between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. is split 80% to standardbred purses and 20% to the Illinois Colt Stakes Fund. When two standardbred tracks race at the same time overnight, the remaining simulcast money for the host and purses is split daily by each track’s share of that day’s live handle.
Caps on local admission fees at races
The law limits local charges on racing admissions. A city can add an amusement tax up to $0.10 per admission to horse races. Any city and county with an inter-track wagering site may each add up to $1.00 per admission, for a total of up to $2.00. Sites must send collected fees to the local government by the 20th of the next month.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Robert "Bob" Rita
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
Bill Cunningham
Democratic • Senate
Mattie Hunter
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/31/2025
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Recommends Be Adopted Rules Committee;
Yes: 5 • No: 0
Senate vote • 5/31/2025
Third Reading - Passed;
Yes: 53 • No: 0
House vote • 5/31/2025
Motion Prevailed to Suspend Rule
Yes: 73 • No: 39
House vote • 5/31/2025
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 House Concurs
Yes: 111 • No: 0
Senate vote • 5/30/2025
Do Pass as Amended Executive;
Yes: 12 • No: 0
House vote • 4/8/2025
Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed
Yes: 115 • No: 0
House vote • 3/12/2025
Do Pass / Short Debate Gaming Committee;
Yes: 15 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0185
8/15/2025HouseEffective Date August 15, 2025
8/15/2025HouseGovernor Approved
8/15/2025HouseSent to the Governor
6/24/2025HousePassed Both Houses
5/31/2025HouseHouse Concurs
5/31/2025HouseSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 House Concurs 111-000-000
5/31/2025HouseMotion Prevailed to Suspend Rule 073-039-000
5/31/2025HouseMotion Filed to Suspend House Rule(s) for Immediate Consideration Rep. Bob Morgan
5/31/2025HouseSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Recommends Be Adopted Rules Committee; 005-000-000
5/31/2025HouseSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules Committee
5/31/2025HouseSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion Filed Concur Rep. Robert "Bob" Rita
5/31/2025HouseAdded as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Mattie Hunter
5/31/2025SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 1
5/31/2025HouseArrived in House
5/31/2025HouseThird Reading - Passed; 053-000-000
5/31/2025SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 31, 2025
5/30/2025SenateSecond Reading
5/30/2025SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading
5/30/2025SenateDo Pass as Amended Executive; 012-000-000
5/30/2025SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted
5/30/2025SenateRule 2-10 Third Reading/Passage Deadline Established As June 1, 2025
5/30/2025SenateWaive Posting Notice
5/30/2025SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Executive
5/30/2025SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments
5/30/2025Senate
Bill Text
Engrossed
Enrolled
Introduced
Senate Amendment 1