West Virginia Lobbyists Push Racing-Results Lottery Game

Sat, Feb 25, 2017

EquiLottery and West Virginia Racing United will lobby for a measure allowing lottery games based on live horserace results. The bill will propose removing horseracing from a state statute that bans a lottery game based on the results of a live sporting event. This approach has worked in Kentucky and Minnesota.

The West Virginia legislature is expected to consider a measure to allow a lottery game based on the results of a live horserace. EquiLottery and West Virginia Racing United—a trade organization representing horsemen and the Jockeys’ Guild in West Virginia– will lobby for the innovative lottery game to be passed in the 2017 session.

The bill will propose excluding horseracing from a West Virginia statute that currently prohibits the lottery from basing a game on the results of a live sporting event. Kentucky and Minnesota have used this approach successfully.

EquiLottery Founder and Chief Executive Officer Brad Cummings said, “We have enjoyed a great working relationship with multiple racing interests in the state of West Virginia since our inception in 2014. They were among the first to embrace the idea of EquiLottery and now is the perfect time for us to work together to bring this innovation to the Mountain State. Together we look forward to providing this important industry a vital marketing tool that enhances purse and racetrack funds while also returning money to the good causes supported by the West Virginia Lottery.”

West Virginia Racing United President Randy Funkhouser added, “We are very happy to count EquiLottery as the newest member of our organization. Their support of racing in West Virginia through our organization shows EquiLottery is not just an innovative product, but is also committed to being an active part of our local industry. We look forward to the opportunity to work on this legislation together and share the excitement of live horse racing with hundreds of thousands of West Virginians who are not currently engaged with our product.”

EquiLottery announced the development of a lottery product based on the results of live horseracing in 2014, and since then has formed agreements with IGT Global Solutions and AmTote International regarding the product. EquiLottery also is working on an IOS and Android mobile app allowing players to watch races live and on replay, scan tickets and set push notifications for upcoming races.

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