The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) $80 million budget was recently approved by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Established in 2020 to oversee safety in professional horse racing, HISA has been criticized for its wasteful government spending and should be a target for the Department of Government Efficiency.
The bipartisan-supported Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 created HISA to develop and manage anti-doping, medication control, and racetrack safety programs under FTC supervision. Despite the FTC’s claims of cost-effective operation, the approved 2025 budget tells a different story.
The majority of the authority’s budget is allocated towards anti-doping and medication control, with $58.6 million earmarked for these programs. This budget covers costs for sample collection, testing, and outsourcing to the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) of Drug Free Sport International.
In 2025, HISA will spend $6.7 million on salaries for 36 full-time HIWU employees, $1 million on travel, $7 million on technology and supplies, and $2.8 million on management fees. Additionally, $2.4 million will go towards compensating administrative department employees, with additional funds allocated for public relations and research on security measures.
While safety and fairness in horse racing are important goals, critics argue that taxpayer subsidies for a niche sport are unnecessary. The Department of Government Efficiency should reconsider the FTC’s approval of funding for HISA.
With $80 million per year in public funding, HISA’s regulation of the horse racing industry raises concerns about government spending on a self-regulating sport. It is essential for the FTC to exercise caution in approving future funding for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.
