In a transfer that may shield the Kentucky historic horse racing venues which have benefited racing, breeding, and gross sales, a bi-partisan group of pro-horse racing state lawmakers will again laws to ban so-called “grey video games.”
In a gathering that drew about 300 individuals to the Keeneland gross sales pavilion Feb. 21 in Lexington, state senators Amanda Mays Bledsoe (Republican, Lexington), Damon Thayer (Republican, Georgetown, majority flooring chief), and Reggie Thomas (Democrat, Lexington, minority caucus chair), and Rep. Matt Koch (Republican, Paris) mentioned banning these video games is a high precedence on the upcoming legislative session.
The video games are already turning into a standard sight at many Kentucky institutions, and Koch mentioned if the issue will not be addressed, there might quickly be as many as 40,000 video games within the state. Such proliferation might negatively influence HHR gaming in Kentucky.
“I despise these grey machines,” mentioned Sen. Thayer. “They don’t seem to be talent video games; they’re unlawful on line casino video games. The proprietors have a enterprise mannequin the place they arrive right into a state the place there is a grey space within the legislation, they pay a lawyer to get a pleasant opinion that claims, ‘Yeah, they’re actually authorized.’ After which they arrive in and attempt to get ingratiated in native communities after which go to the legislature to attempt to legalize them. That is their enterprise mannequin. This can be a predatory enterprise mannequin.”
The legislators mentioned Rep. Killian Timoney (Republican, Nicholasville) would file or pre-file a invoice Feb. 22 that may particularly take away any “grey” space within the legislation concerning the video games. It will ban them. The legislators gathered Tuesday night at Keeneland characterised the video games as unlawful slot machines being marketed as video games of talent in an try to suit by a authorized loophole.
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The lawmakers attended a particular assembly of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Membership with help of Keeneland, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Affiliation, and the Kentucky Equine Training Undertaking.
After some opening feedback from Keeneland president Shannon Arvin, Rep. Timoney outlined the necessity for the laws. Then, KEEP government director Will Glasscock served as moderator of the 4 lawmakers.
Rep. Koch, who operates Shawhan Place and was named KTFMC farm supervisor of the yr in 2022, mentioned after laws to ban grey machines didn’t get performed final yr, the makers of the video games have doubled down—rising their numbers. He mentioned it will be essential for pro-racing lawmakers and the Thoroughbred trade to share the information that HHR has delivered for racing, breeding, and gross sales.
“Unfold the constructive message. What we have to inform Frankfort is to do no hurt,” Koch mentioned. “Now we have performed some completely superb issues. We’re getting in the suitable path. We will not take that away. So we have got to get on the market and battle for that.”
Koch inspired trade members to attend the KEEP day in Frankfort, Ky., Feb. 23, contact legislators, and keep up-to-date on points that influence the trade.
“We will not afford to close the entrance gate on the farm and simply sit there and breed the mares and foal the mares,” Koch mentioned. “We’re not going to be doing that in any respect if we do not take note of what is going on on in Frankfort, take note of what is going on on on the federal stage. Not solely concentrate; we have got to be lively, and our voices must be heard.”
The lawmakers famous that they accredited HHR due to guidelines similar to: youngsters not being allowed in the amenities, safety being offered on-site, and regulators making certain that the video games are pari-mutuel and working as outlined by the legislation. They mentioned that grey video games don’t supply these protections. Sens. Thomas and Mays Bledsoe famous that the unregulated grey video games are accessible to youngsters and younger individuals. Thomas famous that, with no safety in place, the grey video games promote loitering and crime.
In different legislative information of trade curiosity, Thayer plans to assist craft a brand new model of a invoice to deliver sports activities betting to Kentucky tracks however acknowledged that it will face an uphill climb throughout this session. In odd-numbered years, payments that contain taxation (because the sports activities betting invoice does) require a bigger majority to cross. On the Senate aspect, this might require 23 votes as a substitute of 20 in an even-numbered yr.
There is also much less time to garner help. In even-numbered years, classes might not final greater than 60 legislative days and can’t lengthen past April 15. In odd-numbered years, classes might not final greater than 30 legislative days and can’t lengthen past March 30.