Louisiana to pass legislation on historical horseracing games

A bill to allow the expansion of horseracing betting has been passed by Senate and now awaits the signature of the Governor.

US.- New legislation that would allow Louisiana’s off-track betting parlors to add hundreds of new slot-like machines is now awaiting the state governor’s signature after being approved by the Senate.

The Senate voted 32-3 in favour of the bill a day after the House agreed to the legislation with an 85-11 vote.

The bill introduced by Senator Gary Smith was intended to generate new revenue to help the state’s horseracing industry. It would allow gambling machines known as historical horseracing at the off-track betting operations.

The machines allow players to bet on past races by using the odds for the different horses without customers knowing when or where the race took place.

The bill says each off-track betting site would be limited to 50 historic horse racing machines. The approval of parish voters would be needed o open OTBs in parishes that haven’t previously approved the facilities.

Player losses from the games would fund higher purses, which supporters say would attract better horses and more betting to the state’s racetracks.