Racing Commission Abruptly Reverses Policy That Reduced Disclosure of Revenue Sources

The Oregon Racing Commission has resumed its long-standing practice of publicly disclosing the specific sources of revenue on which the agency depends.

The commission abruptly reversed course at its May 15 meeting, less than 24 hours after the Oregon Journalism Project reported on the new policy.

Connie Winn, the commission’s executive director, tells OJP the decision was a mutual one.

“I, the commissioners, and the governor’s office all jointly agreed it was the correct call,” Winn says.

Roxy Mayer, a spokeswoman for Gov. Tina Kotek, confirms Winn checked in. “Executive director Winn consulted with the governor’s office before moving forward with the reversal,” Mayer says.

As OJP reported May 14, the commission decided in April to end its long-standing practice of reporting the dollar volume of bets each of its advance deposit wagering platforms booked the previous quarter. (The practice dates back to at least 2013.) It did so without a formal commission vote or consultation with the governor’s office even after two of the largest ADW betting companies publicly expressed opposition to the new policy. The governor appoints the commission’s five members.

ADW betting platforms allow bettors anywhere to wager on horse and greyhound races at tracks all over the world. Oregon pioneered ADW betting following the passage of 1999 legislation aimed at shoring up faltering horse and dog tracks in the Portland area (both tracks subsequently closed). The state holds a dominant position in online betting on animal races, and its seven ADW contractors booked more than $6.5 billion in bets in 2024.

ADW betting supports what remains of horse racing in Oregon: brief meets at the Crooked River Roundup and the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show and a commercial short series at Grants Pass Downs. The commission charges the ADW providers a daily fee and a tiny percentage of the amount bet. The resulting revenue funds most of the commission’s $4 million annual budget, which it spends to support and regulate racing.

State Rep. David Gomberg (D-Otis), who successfully pushed the commission to stop accepting bets on greyhound racing, says he’s pleased the commission reversed itself.

“It’s an appropriate course correction,” Gomberg says. “Oregonians want to know these details, and I am pleased the commission will make the numbers more transparent.”

This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering the state.