ORS 462.073: Unclaimed Winnings Account; payment of winning or refund tickets; disposition of proceeds; civil penalties.

(1) Every licensee who conducts a race meet shall carry on the books for each race meet an account to be known as the Unclaimed Winnings Account showing the total amount due on outstanding winning mutuel wagering tickets and refund tickets not presented for payment. All funds in the Unclaimed Winnings Account shall be retained by the licensee and deposited in a separate account from all other funds in a bank maintaining an office located in and licensed to do business in Oregon. No payments shall be made by the licensee from this account except to a person who presents a valid, clearly identifiable winning or refund ticket. A statement of the balance of the Unclaimed Winnings Account shall be furnished to the Oregon Racing Commission within 72 hours after any change in the account balance during the race meet and, after the completion of the race meet, within five days following the last day of each month in which there is any change in the account balance. (2) Any person claiming to be entitled to any part of winnings or refunds from a mutuel wagering system operated by a licensee, who fails to claim the money due prior to the completion of the race meet at which the mutuel wagering or refund ticket was purchased, may, within 90 days after the close of the meet, file with the licensee a claim, in such form as the commission shall prescribe, accompanied by the valid winning or refund ticket. If the claimant establishes the right to winnings or refunds from the mutuel wagering system, the licensee shall pay such moneys to the claimant. At the expiration of such 90-day period, the holder of such a winning or refund ticket shall possess no right to any portion of the wagering or refund and the ticket shall be deemed void. (3) One hundred twenty days after the close of a race meet conducted by a licensee under this chapter, an amount equal to the outstanding balance of the Unclaimed Winnings Account shall be paid to the commission, which shall immediately deposit such moneys in the General Fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Oregon Racing Commission Account. The licensee shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $25 per day after 120 days for failure to pay moneys due to the commission in accordance with this subsection. Civil penalties under this subsection shall be imposed as provided in ORS 183.745. (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (2) and (3) of this section, if a continuous race meet is designated by the commission, the 90-day period referred to in subsection (2) of this section shall commence after the close of the continuous race meet at the race course. (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, if the 90th day prescribed therein falls upon a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, then the holder shall file such claim with the licensee on the first business day thereafter. (6) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (3) of this section, a race meet licensee who holds a license under ORS 462.057 shall retain that licensee’s unclaimed winnings to finance physical improvements to the licensee’s race course facility and enclosure. This subsection does not apply to the unclaimed winnings from those race meets which the licensee holds at the race course of a licensee who is the holder of a license under ORS 462.062 or 462.067. [1969 c.356 §37; 1975 c.549 §10; 1981 c.544 §8; 1983 s.s. c.7 §5; 1989 c.357 §1; 1991 c.734 §31a; 1993 c.302 §1; 1993 c.682 §7; 1997 c.865 §5; 2005 c.777 §18]