(1)   

      (a)    The department shall appoint the administrator after a nationwide search for persons with experience in public gaming management and regulation and with knowledge of animal racing and pari-mutuel wagering.

      (b)    Before appointing an administrator, the department shall, with the assistance of the department of justice, conduct a background investigation of the proposed administrator. The department shall require the proposed administrator to be photographed and fingerprinted on 2 fingerprint cards each bearing a complete set of the person‘s fingerprints. The department of justice may provide for the submission of the fingerprint cards to the federal bureau of investigation for the purposes of verifying the identity of the person fingerprinted and obtaining any record of his or her criminal arrests and convictions.

   (2)   The administrator may employ or provide by contract for the services of stewards, subject to the approval of the department. Any steward under a contract under this subsection shall be under a contract with the department.

   (3)   

      (a)    The department may employ the staff it considers necessary to administer this chapter.

      (b)    Before making an appointment under par. (a) and sub. (4), the department shall conduct a background investigation of the proposed employee and shall require that proposed employee to be photographed and fingerprinted on 2 fingerprint cards each bearing a complete set of the person’s fingerprints. The department of justice may provide for the submission of the fingerprint cards to the federal bureau of investigation for the purposes of verifying the identity of the person fingerprinted and obtaining any record of his or her criminal arrests and convictions.

   (4)   The administrator shall appoint and supervise a chief steward.