Online Casinos No Problem For Well-Run Horse Track Racinos
An issue commonly raised by some states in the US is the need to shelter the revered tradition of horse racing from the gravitational, irresistible pull of online casinos. This idea, that horse track patrons are somehow hypnotized into deserting their true love of track pari-mutuel wagering for wicked Internet gambling, lies at the heart of Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear's court case against online gambling sites.
But empirical evidence exists that a properly managed track industry can hold its own, and even prosper, without resorting to protectionist and unconstitutional bans against Internet casinos. The truth of the matter may be that states with faltering racing industries may have just not been good businessmen regarding keeping their tracks modern and satisfying to evolving public tastes.
Louisiana is one state where horsemen are not crying the blues. Purses are enjoying an influx of revenue from slots that have pushed them to record levels. The state breeding industry is also supported by the racinos.
Ten years ago, Louisiana was looking at losing as many as two of its four tracks. Legalizing slots gave the industry a chance, and fairly negotiated splits with horsemen and casino management working together turned the state around. Now the four tracks are all doing solid revenues, and 8900 jobs are secure in a time of turmoil.
While public tastes have not changed, leaving track handles at stagnant levels, the support slot machines have given in cash to purses and breeding keep the racing industry vibrant in Louisiana.
Considering Churchill Downs owns the Louisiana Fairgrounds, the state's premiere track and also the longest continually operating track in the US, one might think the company might advise Beshear that there are better ways to salvage racing than hopeless court ventures against online casinos.
