Kentucky Supreme Court to decide on instant racing machines

Historical horse racing (also known as instant racing machines) in Kentucky has reached the state’s Supreme Court, which will determine their legality.

US.- Legalised gambling hasn’t reached Kentucky, but instant racing machines have been legal for ten years. Also known as historical racing, the debate on whether they should operate has reached the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate recently ruled instant racing machines are legal under the state’s pari-mutuel gambling laws. However, anti-gambling group The Family Foundation (TFF) went to the Supreme Court to try and reverse the decision.

TFF executive director Kent Ostrander no one has ever voted to legalise instant racing machines, in Kentucky. However, he said, there are six “casinos” authorised in the state. The Supreme Court will most likely take a while before it hears the case and makes a decision.

Legalisation request

Attorney General Andy Beshear asked the Legislature in 2018 to pass legislation in order to authorise gambling in the state and create a new source of revenue.

“The solution is not to cut legally promised benefits, but to create a new stream of revenue dedicated solely to pensions that does not raise any Kentuckian’s taxes,” the Attorney General said in a letter to members of the state’s General Assembly and added: “The answer should be simple – expanded gaming including casino, fantasy sports, and sports gaming, as well as preparing for the eventual legalisation of online poker.”

Mr Beshear based his request on an American Gaming Association’s report that showed the commercial gaming industry brought in more than US$40 billion in gaming revenue from 24 states in 2017. Out of that income, states got over US$9 billion in revenue just from commercial gaming taxes.

However, there has been no significant progress on any gambling expansion.