(TRENTON) – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all racetracks in New Jersey were shut down for months, prohibiting many from receiving their unclaimed parimutuel tickets. A parimutuel ticket is a form of betting on horses in which those holding winning tickets divide the total amount in proportion to their wages. To ensure that consumers are able to receive their winnings, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Essex) sponsors legislation passed by the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee to extend the period a person may claim outstanding parimutuel tickets for horse races.
The bill (A-5078) would allow people to claim outstanding parimutuel tickets up to 12 months after the date the ticket was issued. The extension would include tickets that were purchased online and in-person. Additionally, there would be a one-year extension for unclaimed cash vouchers that reach the three-year expiration date before the end of the Public Health Emergency.
Upon committee approval of the measure, Caputo issued the following statement:
“Racetracks were shut down for months and many in New Jersey missed the window to pick up their parimutuel tickets. We can allow people to feel safer and more comfortable by extending the period in which they can claim their tickets. There has been uncertainty and worry about how patrons can claim their winnings, and this bill will ensure that they receive what is owed to them.”