At a Dec. 17 Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission meeting, NYRA Bets was approved to operate as a vendor within the commonwealth. The racing vendor license is valid for one year.
NYRA Bets has been available as a secondary pari-mutuel operator to horseplayers in Pennsylvania since 2018, but its new status as a vendor will allow it to rebrand and cross-brand with Pocono Downs, a standardbred venue in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
"It is really important for us, from a branding and marketing perspective, to be able to work within specific states," NYRA Bets COO Matthew Feig told commissioners Tuesday.
This summer, NYRA Bets became the managing vendor of New Jersey's online and mobile pari-mutuel account wagering systems.
PRESS RELEASE: NYRA BETS NAMED MANAGING VENDOR IN NEW JERSEY
"We have been able to make these kind of relationships a win-win not only for NYRA Bets and its customers, but the racetrack, the horsemen, and the state itself," Feig said. "We believe that this partnership with Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania will benefit greatly to the commonwealth itself."
By being a vendor, Feig said it will allow NYRA Bets to host cross-country wagers interspersing races from Pocono Downs and other Pennsylvania tracks with New York Racing Association races or those from other racetracks. He also stated that it would allow NYRA's Fox Sports TV show America's Day at the Races to broadcast Pocono Downs racing.
"We believe we can really drive Pocono Downs handle, and other races in the commonwealth as well, by being in this marketing position to be a vendor," Feig said.
Commissioner Salvatore DeBunda raised a question on whether there would be a change in the amount of money going to standardbred horsemen. Feig replied by stating that becoming a vendor would free NYRA Bets from a 6% source market fee on top of a pari-mutuel tax that is required for SPMOs, giving it a larger ability to market.
"It allows an ADW to really market and do other things in the state. To grow and move handle," Feig said. "The distributions are slightly different, but the impact on promoting harness racing, in this case all racing, is going to be significant."
SNOWSTORM DAMAGES
PRESQUE ISLE DOWNS
Later in the meeting, Presque Isle Downs senior director of operations Matthew Ennis reported to the commission that the Erie, Pa., Thoroughbred track sustained damage to its barn area during a recent snowstorm.
"We have extensive damage to our backside, specifically Barn B has collapsed in three areas," Ennis said. "We are assessing our damage on the backside in preparation of reopening come April."
Presque Isle concluded its 2024 season Oct. 24. The 2025 season is scheduled to begin May 19.
