Connie Winn, the Oregon Racing Commission’s Supervisor of Account Wagering Hubs has been appointed by ARCI Chairman Jeff Colliton to Chair the Pari-Mutuel Auditors Committee. Sylvie Dubreuil of the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) has been designated as Vice-Chair.

The ARCI Pari-Mutuel Auditors Committee provides the racing regulatory network with essential input concerning wagering system security, accountability, and the propriety of new wagers. The committee was largely responsible for the creation of the ARCI Tote Standards relied upon by most regulatory entities in assessing totalizator companies. The committee also analyzes and reviews new wagers.

The ARCI Model Rules concerning wagering have, in some jurisdictions, the force of law as they have been incorporated by reference. In Canada, a change to certain sections of the ARCI Model Rules document becomes the public policy in that jurisdiction. In California, the creation of a new wager on horse racing requires state Legislative approval unless there is an ARCI Model Rule governing the wager, which would still need to be authorized by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB).

Last October, the ARCI Pari-Mutuel Auditors Committee and the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau conducted a continuing education briefing for regulatory staff in conjunction with the Thoroughbred Racing Association’s 20/20 committee dealing with the technology aspects of processing the myriad of individual financial transactions taking place each day throughout the pari-mutuel system.

“Most fans don’t pay attention to all this,” said ARCI President Ed Martin. “They just assume everything will work and the integrity of their bets will be protected. They never see all the work that goes into making that the reality.”

Winn takes over the committee at a time when regulatory policy needs to be revisited to adapt to advances in technology and a changing industry.

At the Oregon Racing Commission Winn manages the multi-jurisdictional licensing of ten Advanced Depositing Wagering (ADW) Hubs and twenty-two white label affiliates, as well as the regulating and auditing of on site and remote ADW's including operations, information technology, finance and security. She is also responsible for the Pari-Mutuels Auditing Department which manages simulcasting, historical and live racing in the state of Oregon.

Previously, Winn served as the Vice President of Career Services with Education Management Corporation, responsible for the selection, customization and implementation of information systems, including data tracking, metrics monitoring, design, usability, training, & implementation.

Ms. Dubreuil is the Director of Operations for the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency and plays a critical role in the regulation of wagering across all the Canadian Provinces.

(Racing Commissioners International)