Sec.12-574-F59. OTB pari-mutuel betting

(a) Generally. The OTB association shall conduct pari-mutuel betting on any recognized meeting held within or without the state as the OTB association may determine, subject to the prior approval of the executive director.

(b) Pools. The OTB association shall conduct pari-mutuel betting either in a combined pool or in an independent pool as the association may determine on any recognized meeting held within or without the state.

(c) Telephone betting. The association may conduct pari-mutuel betting by telephone. Such telephone betting shall be in accordance with section 12-574-F60 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

(d) Types of betting. The OTB association may accept wagers on such types of pari-mutuel betting as it shall determine subject to the approval of the board.

(e) Location of ticket sales. Off-track betting pari-mutuel tickets shall be sold only at off-track betting facilities.

(f) Limits on betting. The executive director with the advice and consent of the board shall approve minimum limits on betting.

(g) Minimum payments. The OTB association shall pay not less than two dollars and ten cents for each two dollar winning bet in the distribution of any parimutuel pool.

(h) Commencement of betting. The OTB association shall commence accepting bets for any particular pari-mutuel pool at such times as the executive director may approve.

(i) Close of betting. The close of betting shall be set at such times as the executive director may approve or as designated division personnel may determine based upon operational circumstances.

(j) Locking of pari-mutuel terminals. Pari-mutuel terminals shall be lockable by electrical control to render them incapable of accepting or recording wagers and issuing tickets on prior races or a race in progress.

(k) Field. Whenever two or more horses starting in the same race constitutes a field they shall be combined for purposes of any off-track betting pari-mutuel pool as follows:

(1) One or more horse number(s) shall be provided which shall represent horses in the field. A bettor who bets on a field shall be deemed to have bet on all the horses in that field irrespective of whether or not the particular horses running in that field are determined when the bet is placed. If that entire field is scratched or removed from betting there shall be a refund. However, if part of that field is scratched or removed from betting but there is at least one starter, there shall be no refund;

(2) In the event that a bettor bets on a horse which is later placed in a field, he shall be deemed to have bet on that field except that if the horse upon which he has bet is removed from the race or removed from betting prior to the close of betting, the bettor shall receive a refund;

(3) Upon recommendation of the association, the executive director may approve alternative methods of grouping animals together to constitute a common betting interest.

(l) Coupled entry. Whenever, in accordance with the rules of the track, two or more horses starting in the same race constitute a coupled entry for purposes of pari-mutuel betting at the track, they shall be coupled for purposes of any off-track betting pari-mutuel pool and a bet on one shall be a bet on all, as follows:

(1) A horse number may be provided which shall represent each coupled entry. A bettor who bets a coupled entry shall be deemed to have bet on all the horses irrespective of whether or not the particular horses running in the coupled entry are determined when the bet is placed. If the entire coupled entry is scratched or removed from betting there shall be a refund. However, if part of a coupled entry is scratched or removed from betting but there is at least one starter, there shall be no refund;

(2) In the event that a wager is placed on a horse which is part of a coupled entry, the wager shall be deemed to have been on the coupled entry except that if the horse upon which the wager was placed was separately designated and is then removed from the race or removed from betting prior to the close of betting, the wager shall be refunded.

(m) Refunds. All bets received on an entry which does not start or on a race which is canceled or postponed may be independently calculated or shall be refunded on the basis of the refund policy in effect at the track.

(n) Refusal to accept bets. The OTB association shall have the right to refuse to accept bets on a particular entry or entries or in any or all pari-mutuel pools for what it deems good and sufficient reason. In the event that the association shall prohibit further betting on an entry or entries in a pari-mutuel pool for which it has previously accepted bets, bets on such entry or entries shall be refunded.

(o) Track refusal to accept bets. In the event that the track refuses to accept bets on a particular entry or entries, the OTB association shall automatically remove from its pools all bets placed on said entry or entries, and said bets shall be refunded.

(p) Cancellation of track pool. In the event that a pari-mutuel pool is canceled by the track, the corresponding off-track betting pari-mutuel pool may be independently calculated or shall be refunded.

(q) Change of entries. Until the track posts the official entries of a race, the OTB association may add to the entries and accept public wagering on such entries as it believes shall run in the race and may remove from its list such entries as it believes shall not run in the race.

(r) Responsibility of division. The division bears no responsibility with respect to the actual running of any race or races upon which the association accepts bets. In all cases, off-track betting pari-mutuel pool distribution shall be based upon the order of finish posted at the track as "official" or as the rules may apply in the case of substitution for scratched entries. Rulings related to entries, the winning of a race, and the order of finish and determination of judges, stewards or other appropriate officials at the track shall be conclusive in determining the payoffs by the association.

(s) Error in calculation of payments. In the event of an error in calculation of payment prices:

(1) Where such error occurs in an independent pool, all off-track betting facilities shall be notified as soon as the error is determined and all further payments shall be in the correct amount. Telephone betting accounts shall be corrected accordingly where practicable. Any amount thereafter remaining in the pool because of an underpayment shall be transferred to the division, and a written report thereof submitted to the division by the day following discovery of such error;

(2) Where such error occurs in a pool which is the result of the combination of the track pool and the off-track betting pool, notwithstanding the provisions of section 12-574-F58 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, the rules in effect at the track governing the disposition of such error shall prevail.

(t) Failure of combining pool.

(1) In the event that any bet accepted by the OTB association for inclusion into a combined pool with the track fails to be appropriately included and combined in the single track pool due to circumstances reasonably beyond the control of the OTB association, payoffs shall be made in accordance with one of the following:

(A) All bets made at OTB facilities shall be placed into an independent pool, and the payoff shall be made in accordance with applicable rules; or

(B) An alternate method may be approved by the board upon the recommendation of the association and the executive director.

(2) An immediate announcement shall be made to the public at all facilities when other than track payoffs will result.

(3) The OTB association shall provide a written report to the division setting forth the circumstances surrounding the failure to include any bet into a combined pool.

(4) In any case where the circumstances of a failure to properly combine any pool results in an underpayment to the public for that pool, as determined by the division after reviewing the required reports, the OTB association shall transfer to the division the amount of such underpayment. Any overpayment on any pool not properly combined is strictly the responsibility of the OTB association and any such overpayment shall not be used to offset the underpayment of any other pool.

(u) Bettor information for Internal Revenue Service. An association and any OTB facility operator shall comply with all statutes, rules, regulations, rulings, and directives of the Internal Revenue Service and the state of Connecticut regarding reportable winnings and withholding thereon. The association and any OTB facility operator shall refuse payment to a winning bettor who refuses to supply the relevant information required by the Internal Revenue Service or the state of Connecticut or who attempts to circumvent the withholding and reporting requirements.

(v) Official results. When applicable, at the end of each race division personnel shall monitor with the pari-mutuel department, by use of totalizator equipment or telephone, the official placement and payout of the program numbers. No payoffs shall be made until the receipt of the declaration that the result is official by flashing the word "official" on the totalizator board or announcing such on the public address system.

(Adopted effective October 3, 2001)