January 9, 2026 (Lexington, KY) – The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is pleased to announce that the proposed changes to its Enforcement Rules (Rule Series 8000) have been officially approved by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These changes will take effect on January 19, 2026.
HISA’s updated Enforcement Rules are available in full <a href="https://bphisaweb.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Rule-8000-Series_01.19.26.pdf">here</a> and include the following changes:
<ul>
<li>Clarification that it is a violation to enter a Covered Horse or cause a Covered Horse to compete in a Covered Horserace prior to registering the Covered Horse with HISA (note that it is a separate violation to fail to register a Covered Horse on the date of the horse&#8217;s first timed and reported workout at a Racetrack that participates in Covered Horseraces or at a training facility); and</li>
<li>Failure to pay a fine or repay a purse by the prescribed deadline will subject the Covered Person to an automatic suspension.</li>
</ul>
The FTC published a request for public comment on the proposed changes on <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/09/ftc-publishes-request-public-comment-proposed-modification-hisas-enforcement-rule___.YXAzOmhpc2F1czpjOm86N2Q1MzkxMjNmMGI4ZGUwNTVmYjE0NjdiY2Y2NmU2OTM6Nzo1N2UwOmM0N2QwYWI1MmMwY2ZlYWY4MjEyYWFhMWYxOTJjM2U0MTUzYjk0ODg2NzhjM2RhMmEwZmU3ZDgxN2UwYWNkMjg6cDpGOkY">September 9, 2025</a> and issued an order approving the changes on <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/12/ftc-approves-modifications-horseracing-integrity-safety-authoritys-enforcement-rule___.YXAzOmhpc2F1czpjOm86N2Q1MzkxMjNmMGI4ZGUwNTVmYjE0NjdiY2Y2NmU2OTM6NzphYTlmOjgyMTAyOTA2ZjJjMWI2YjEzZTI0MjBjOTQ2YjFhYjhjNjE4MjdjNGFkMWQ5YWEwZWZkZmI2MjUyYTBiZmM4ZDU6cDpGOkY">December 19, 2025</a>. HISA will work with racing industry participants to help prepare them for the changes.
All <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/hisaus.org/regulations___.YXAzOmhpc2F1czpjOm86N2Q1MzkxMjNmMGI4ZGUwNTVmYjE0NjdiY2Y2NmU2OTM6Nzo5MDMxOmMxZDAyYjA5ZjE3ODM0OTY1ZmU5ODY3YTNhMzIwZDIwNGQ1N2NhMDllODgzZTJjNzZmMjY1YTY0NzI3OWVjMTU6cDpGOkY">HISA rules</a> are available at <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___http:/www.hisaus.org___.YXAzOmhpc2F1czpjOm86N2Q1MzkxMjNmMGI4ZGUwNTVmYjE0NjdiY2Y2NmU2OTM6NzoxZmIyOjRjNWViOTM0NTA3NWVmMjY5MjJmYmJkNWQ1NjQwZjg3YmZiYWUwZjcwNmIwMDBiYThkNzQyOGRiZDhhOTkzMzA6cDpGOkY">www.hisaus.org</a>.