Kentucky judge has allowed Instant Racing to take place in the state
Judge Thomas Wingate has approved plans that would allow race tracks in the state of Kentucky to let bettors gamble on races that have been run in the past.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Association had been trying to get the ruling in their favour earnestly. They had already approved the plan in July of this year, but a judges' ruling was required to make it legal. The significance of the decision is that it gives
bettors a right to bet on Instant Racing. This means that the bettors can make use of electronic devices that provide data and calculated odds on races that have been run in the past.
Governor Steve Beshear expressed his pleasure at the decision soon after the ruling was made. He further added that Instant Racing would generate a considerable amount of revenue, which would help in supporting the racing industry of Kentucky.
However, the Racing Association is not celebrating yet because an anti-gambling group has plans to appeal the decision. Martin Cothran from the Family Foundation said, "It gives the advocates of expanded, mechanized gambling a piece of paper to wave in front
of others so that they will be impressed with the legality. But we still challenge the legality of what they are doing, we do not think this is para-metuel horse racing on live horses."
The phenomenon of Instant Racing started about a decade ago. The first place to do this was Oaklawn Park in Akansas. Instant Racing is a form of betting in which the bettors wager their money on previously run races, which are being broadcast again for the
purposes of gambling. The names of the horses, trainers and and jockeys are kept anonymous to give the method credibility, and that is the exact thing on which the anti-gambing group has based its argument.
"We don't think that elected lawmakers are going to be nearly as impressed with the argument that watching videos of old horse races is the same as watching a live horse race, which is the only thing that Kentucky law allows for," Cothran said.
Tags: