N.Y. Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law Section 304
Right to hold harness race meetings and races

Any corporation formed under the provisions of sections two hundred twenty-two through seven hundred five of this chapter, and any corporation or association which shall have conducted harness horse race meetings during two years prior to March thirty-first, nineteen hundred forty, and any town or county fair association or other fair association shall have the power and the right to hold one or more harness horse race meetings in each year and to hold, maintain and conduct harness races at such meetings. At such harness race meetings the corporation or association, or the owners of horses engaged in such races, or others who are not participants in the race, may contribute purses, prizes, premiums or stakes to be contested for, but no person or persons other than the owner or owners of a horse or horses contesting in a race shall have any pecuniary interest in a purse, prize, premium or stake contested for in such race, or be entitled to or receive any portion thereof after such race is finished, and the whole of such purse, prize, premium or stake shall be allotted in accordance with the terms and conditions of such race. Such meeting shall not be held except during the period extending from the first day of January to the thirty-first day of December inclusive in each year. In counties having a population of two hundred fifty thousand or less, the commission may, however, permit the holding of one or more harness horse race meetings and the conduct of harness races at such meetings on a day or days not during such period if the commission is satisfied that a special occasion makes the holding of such meetings and the conduct of such races on such day or days proper or necessary; but in no event shall such meetings or races be held or conducted on the twenty-fifth day of December. Such power and right, however, shall not include the right to conduct pari-mutuel betting at such harness horse race meetings except pursuant to license granted by the commission pursuant to sections two hundred twenty-two through seven hundred five of this chapter. § 45. Section 305 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law is amended to read as follows: § 305. Pari-mutuel betting at harness races. No more than eight corporations or associations shall be licensed by the commission in any one year to conduct a pari-mutuel meet or meets. Said pari-mutuel betting conducted at such meetings shall be under the general supervision and control of the commission which shall make rules regulating the conduct of such pari-mutuel betting in accordance with the provisions of sections two hundred twenty-two through seven hundred five of this chapter. The department of taxation and finance is charged with the financial administration of pari-mutuel betting as prescribed in this article and as supplemented by the rules and regulations of the commission. The department of taxation and finance shall have authority to prescribe the forms and the system of accounting to be employed, and through its representatives shall at all times have power of access to and examination of any equipment relating to such betting.

Source: Section 304 — Right to hold harness race meetings and races, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/PML/304 (updated Oct. 16, 2020; accessed Feb. 21, 2026).

301
General powers of commission 302
Incorporation 303
Filing of information concerning stock transfers 303–A
Non-managing ownership of standardbred horses 304
Right to hold harness race meetings and races 305
Pari-mutuel betting at harness races 307
Licenses for harness race meetings 307–A
New York-bred or wholly owned harness races 308
Officials at harness horse race meetings 309
Licenses for participants and employees at harness race meetings 310
Power of the commission to impose fines and penalties 311
Refunds 312
Special police officers 313
Place and manner of conducting pari-mutuel betting 314
Construction with other laws 315
Bond required of corporation or association conducting pari-mutuel betting 316
Books and records of pari-mutuel betting 317
Filing of certain agreements with the commission 318
Disposition of on-track pari-mutuel pools 319
Capital improvements 320
Revocation of license 321
Hearing of refusal or revocation of license 322
Approval of plans of corporation or association 324
Free or reduced fee passes, cards or badges 325
County, town and agricultural fairs and harness race meetings not licensed to conduct pari-mutuel betting 326
Employees at harness race meetings 327
Membership in a labor union or a labor organization 328
Disposition of unpaid money due on account of pari-mutuel tickets not presented 329
Penalties 330
Agriculture and New York state horse breeding development fund 331
Powers 332
Resources of fund 333
New York state exposition harness racing 334
New York-bred harness horse events 335
County and town agricultural society harness racing events 336
Actions against fund
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Verified:
Feb. 21, 2026

Last modified:
Oct. 16, 2020

§ 304. Right to hold harness race meetings & races's source at nysenate​.gov

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