Louisiana racing commissioner Jon McKinnie, executive director of the National Racing Compact, said the process of educating horsemen and horse owners has begun. Currently, members of the compact are Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Virginia, and West Virginia.

For some time, industry participants have complained about an expensive and time-consuming process whereby licenses are required in each racing state. Previous efforts to create a recognized national license failed.

"We're getting down to the individual level," McKinnie said. "Remember, (industry participants) have been told this over and over again for 20 or 30 years. It's a critical-mass issue. The more states you get, the more you help the owners."

The compact is an independent government entity with access to information, such as an applicant's criminal history. It isn't an arm of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, though the RCI did assist in its formation.

Virginia Racing Commission chairwoman Robin Williams, who headed the effort to create the compact, admitted it will "take a while before people believe this will be a go everywhere."

By July 2001, four states -- California, Colorado, Indiana, and Iowa -- plan to recognize the license, and eight more -- Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington -- plan to recognize it and seek legislation to put them in the compact.

Thus far, the compact has received $153,000 in loans, and $90,500 in grants, from the pari-mutuel industry. Horsemen's groups, breed associations, and owners' associations have helped spread the word. McKinnie also is working with the North American Pari-Mutuel Regulators Association, developed in 1997 when some jurisdictions left the RCI.

The National Racing Compact received a plug from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's regulation task force, which authorized a study into deregulation in the pari-mutuel industry. In the report, consultant Michael Shagan recommended the NTRA assist in the launch of the racing-license program.