Competing With Racinos and Online Casinos Killing Kentucky Tracks
Kentucky continues to flail around, searching for ways to save its dying horse racing industry. Gambling tastes have evolved away from racing over the years, and Kentucky tracks are finding that patrons prefer other forms of gambling.
The latest attempt to retain the state's track customers involves a bill presented to the state legislature by Representative Greg Stumbo, which would permit video lottery terminals to be located at the tracks. Only racetracks would carry the slot-style machines. Kentucky defeated proposals last year to bring full-fledged casino gambling to the state.
Stumbo's bill follows Governor Steve Beshear's pursuit of a court order demanding the forfeitureof 141 online casino domain names. The case is pending appeal, and was filed by Beshear to protect Kentucky's horse racing industry from out-of-state gambling interests, despite international laws and the US Constitution preventing such a measure.
Kentucky is also concerned about neighboring states hosting racinos, which draw both patrons and horsemen from the Bluegrass State. Racinos featuring slots in Indiana have attracted crowds to gamble, and allowed for increased purses bringing in horse owners from surrounding areas.
The Indiana problem is so ominous, a prosecutor in the court case was asked if the state had the right, as it is assuming regarding domain names, to seize buses that might transport Kentucky gamblers to Indiana as gambling devices, and the attorney answered yes.
Stumbo's method is probably the best in many ways. It will not face the near-certain legal defeat of Beshear's ploy, and it will give track visitors variety and a chance to play the popular VLTs. Rather than enforce an ancient law that doesn't fit the application, Stumbo has decided to try to keep up with the competition.
