Delaying Instant Racing
The Kentucky Family Foundation has decided to challenge the Beshear Administration's regulatory approval of instant racing games at racetracks.
The game is based on the pari-mutuel system, with players using a machine to bet on previously run races in a common pool against each other. The identities of the old races remain a secret until after the bet is placed.
The Family Foundation argues the game is a slot machine and that Kentucky law only allows gambling through the lottery and live horse racing.
The game, in use at two Arkansas tracks, was approved in July by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission as an alternative to traditional slot machines.
This is a high-risk decision for the Family Foundation, because losing my open the door to a larger window for expanded gaming options. We'll pay attention to this effort with great interest.
