§3001 — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

States get the main power to decide what gambling is allowed in their borders. The federal government must stop one state from getting in the way of another and must protect national interests. For interstate off‑track horse‑race wagering, Congress will regulate interstate betting so states keep cooperating and to support the horseracing and off‑track betting industries.

Title 15, §3001

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Congress finds that—

(1)the States should have the primary responsibility for determining what forms of gambling may legally take place within their borders;

(2)the Federal Government should prevent interference by one State with the gambling policies of another, and should act to protect identifiable national interests; and

(3)in the limited area of interstate off-track wagering on horseraces, there is a need for Federal action to ensure States will continue to cooperate with one another in the acceptance of legal interstate wagers.

(b)It is the policy of the Congress in this chapter to regulate interstate commerce with respect to wagering on horseracing, in order to further the horseracing and legal off-track betting industries in the United States.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 95–515, § 9, Oct. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 1815, provided that: “(a) The provisions of this Act [this chapter] shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 25, 1978], and, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, shall apply to any interstate off-track wager accepted on or after such date of enactment. “(b)(1) The provisions of this Act [this chapter] shall not apply to any interstate off-track wager which is accepted pursuant to a contract existing on

May 1, 1978. “(2) The provisions of this Act shall not apply to any form of legal non-parimutuel off-track betting existing in a State on

May 1, 1978. “(3) The provisions of subsection (b) of section 5 of this Act [section 3004(b) of this title] shall not apply to any parimutuel off-track betting system existing on

May 1, 1978, in a State which does not conduct parimutuel horseracing on the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 25, 1978].”

Short Title

Pub. L. 95–515, § 1, Oct. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 1811, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978’.”

§3001 Congressional Findings and Policy