Title 15 — Commerce and Trade
Chapter 57 — Interstate Horseracing
§ 3001. Congressional findings and policy
Statutory text
The Congress finds that—
the States should have the primary responsibility for determining what forms of gambling may legally take place within their borders;
the Federal Government should prevent interference by one State with the gambling policies of another, and should act to protect identifiable national interests; and
in the limited area of interstate off-track wagering on horseraces, there is a need for Federal action to ensure States will continue to cooperate with one another in the acceptance of legal interstate wagers.
It is the policy of the Congress in this chapter to regulate interstate commerce with respect to wagering on horseracing, in order to further the horseracing and legal off-track betting industries in the United States.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978
Pub. L. 95–515 § 2 · 92 Stat. 1811
Enacted · 15 U.S.C. § 3001
(Pub. L. 95–515, § 2, Oct. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 1811.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(Pub. L. 95–515, § 2, Oct. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 1811.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
Sec. 2. findings and policy (a) The Congress finds that— (1) the States should have the primary responsibility for determining what forms of gambling may legally take place within their borders; (2) the Federal Government should prevent interference by one State with the gambling policies of another, and should act to protect identifiable national interests; and (3) in the limited area of interstate off-track wagering on horseraces, there is a need for Federal action to ensure States will continue to cooperate with one another in the acceptance of legal interstate wagers. (b) It is the policy of the Congress in this Act to regulate interstate commerce with respect to wagering on horseracing, in order to further the horseracing and legal off-track betting industries in the United States.
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Pub. L. 95–515, § 9, , 92 Stat. 1815, provided that:
“(a) The provisions of this Act [this chapter] shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act [], and, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, shall apply to any interstate off-track wager accepted on or after such date of enactment.
“(b) (1) The provisions of this Act [this chapter] shall not apply to any interstate off-track wager which is accepted pursuant to a contract existing on .
“(2) The provisions of this Act shall not apply to any form of legal non-parimutuel off-track betting existing in a State on .
“(3) The provisions of subsection (b) of section 5 of this Act [section 3004(b) of this title] shall not apply to any parimutuel off-track betting system existing on , in a State which does not conduct parimutuel horseracing on the date of enactment of this Act [].”
Short Title
Pub. L. 95–515, § 1, , 92 Stat. 1811, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978’.”