For over 30 years, the Illinois Racing Board Charity Fund Program has provided more than $24 million for medical, dental, family, counseling, and other wellness services (“Wellness Services”) to persons who reside or work on the backstretch of Illinois’ pari-mutuel race tracks. The State of Illinois and Illinois Racing Board (“IRB”) is the only racing jurisdiction in the United States that has this type of program. Specifically, section 31.1 of the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 (“Racing Act”) requires organization licensees (a/k/a race tracks) collectively to contribute annually to charity the sum of $750,000 to non-profit organizations that provide Wellness Services to persons who reside or work on the backstretch of Illinois’ pari-mutuel race tracks.
