(a) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall enter into negotiations with a person or business organization for the award of a contract of sale of the off-track betting system including, but not limited to, the assets and liabilities of the system and the right to operate the system. Such contract of sale shall authorize the purchaser of the system to establish and conduct a system of off-track betting on races held within or without the state pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. All proceeds derived from such sale shall be deposited as provided in section 39 of public act 93-332*. Until the effective date of transfer of ownership of the off-track betting system, the commissioner shall establish and conduct systems of off-track betting on races held within or without the state pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. It is hereby declared that off-track betting on races conducted under the administration or regulatory authority of the department in the manner and subject to the conditions of this chapter shall be lawful notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, general, special or municipal, including any law prohibiting or restricting lotteries, bookmaking or any other kind of gambling, it being the purpose of this chapter to derive from such betting, as authorized by this chapter, a reasonable revenue for the support of state government and to prevent and curb unlawful bookmaking and illegal betting on races.

(b) Until the effective date of transfer of ownership of the off-track betting system, the commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations, consistent with this chapter, establishing and governing the permitted method or methods of operation of the system of off-track betting.

(1971, P.A. 865, S. 15; 1972, P.A. 187, S. 7; P.A. 79-404, S. 21, 45; P.A. 93-332, S. 29, 42; P.A. 11-51, S. 182; P.A. 13-299, S. 66.)

*Note: Section 39 of public act 93-332 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force and effect according to its terms.

History: 1972 act did not change section; P.A. 79-404 replaced “commission” with “executive director” and “division” as appropriate and required advice and consent of gaming policy board in adoption of rules and regulations; P.A. 93-332 amended section to authorize the division of special revenue to enter into negotiations for the sale of the off-track betting system, effective June 25, 1993; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “executive director of the Division of Special Revenue”, “executive director” and “division” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Consumer Protection”, “commissioner” and “department”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-299 amended Subsec. (b) to delete provision re advice and consent of the Gaming Policy Board, effective July 1, 2013.

Cited. 189 C. 591.

Cited. 33 CS 167; 35 CS 522.