Four years ago, Park County commissioners agreed to put a question on the general election ballot that asked voters whether they wanted to authorize more gambling in the county. But commissioners have declined to put the question back before voters this fall.

At a meeting last week, commissioners said they had no issue with having voters consider pari mutuel betting again, but as a Sept. 5 deadline approached, they felt the ballot language put forward by boosters needed more work. At their Sept. 3 meeting, the board unanimously rejected the proposal put forward by 307 Horse Racing.

“I don’t mind letting the voters decide, but think it would need some attorney approval to fit into our rules,” said Commissioner Scott Mangold, adding “We want to make sure we’re not putting something on the ballot that's illegal.”

Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric had flagged concerns with the original language proposed by 307 Horse Racing. The draft ballot resolution asked voters to allow pari-mutuel wagering on only the following activities: live event horse racing, to include quarter horse, thoroughbred and other approved races; simulcasting; and, historic horse racing terminals/machines. However, county officials weren’t clear on whether they had the legal authority to limit the pari-mutuel wagering in that way.

“I do have problems with the resolution and how it's written,” Commissioner Lee Livingston said. “The resolution says one thing, but I don't know we can say it on the ballot.”

The company submitted revised language just ahead of the commissioners’ Sept. 3 meeting, but Skoric hadn’t had time to review it before the board had to make a decision.

“It feels rushed and it feels like you are being pressed,” First Deputy Park County Clerk Hans Odde told the board.

Although no one from 307 Horse Racing attended the meeting, Commission Chair Dossie Overfield said the man who delivered the ballot initiative apologized for doing so late in the process.

“I typically tend to believe that this should be going to the voters, but I think what Mr. Odde and Mr. Skoric raises is pretty alarming that we could get something in there that we can’t control,” Commissioner Scott Steward said, adding, “The voters are going to be very uneducated. And when they go to the polls, they’re not going to have a statute in front of them to see what it says. So I think that I for one can’t support this.”

While the resolution would have authorized live racing and simulcasting, Mangold described the historic horse racing terminals as “the real money makers.”

The terminals bear a strong resemblance to slot machines, though they are different in the way they operate. Across the state, the vast majority of pari-mutuel betting — $793.4 million out of nearly $800 million last year — takes place on the terminals, according to state figures.

Voters have approved the form of gambling in a number of counties, including in Casper and Gillette, where 307 Horse Racing has establishments. The company also has local ties, having been formed in 2020 by Josh Allison of Cody and Randy and Jack Greer of Gillette.

Boosters of pari-mutuel betting note that it provides another source of revenue for local governments, which get 1% of the total amount wagered in their cities or counties. In 2020, proponents estimated that allowing pari-mutuel betting in Park County could bring in around $341,000 a year in new government revenue. However, nearly 59% of local voters shot down the proposal in November 2020.

Overfield said it appears that lawmakers are attempting to resolve some of the issues around pari-mutuel wagering — such as whether a county can only allow certain games. As a result, she favored waiting until there’s more clarity before putting the measure back up for vote in Park County.