SUPREME COURT RACE BETTING

SUPREME COURT RACE BETTING

A major decision coming down today...which could finacially cripple the horse racing industry in kentucky.

The state supreme court unanimously ruled that some historical horse racing slot machines at racetracks and gambling parlors may be illegal.

Abc 36's bobbi mcswine breaks it down.

##### an important decision thursday in a ten year legal battle...as the kentucky supreme court unanimously ruled at least some slot-like historical horse racing games used at racetracks and gambling parlors may not be legal.

Nat slot machine the supreme court says the race wagering offered by red mile...kentucky downs...and ellis park doesn't meet the standard of pari-mutuel wagering.

Historical racing.featuring slot-style machines allow people to bet on randomly generated, past horse races.

The games have brought in millions of dollars for racetracks and the state.

The associated press reports bettors wagered more than $2 billion on historical racing machines in the previous fiscal year.

Governor andy beshear says the potential loss of this form of gambling would be devastating to the state's economy.

"i've already begun discussions with various partners about finding a path forward.

We've already had this in the commonwealth for several years.

We have not seen the ills that people claim would come from it."

Thursday's ruling stems from a long- running dispute between racing interests and the family foundation...a conservative group that opposes expanded gambling.

The foundation has long argued that historical horse racing machines do not meet pari- mutuel wagering standards under kentucky law and as a result are an illegal form of gambling.

Keeneland vice president vince gabbert told the lexington herald- leader the track was still evaluating the opinion.but says it doesn't change the 2018 opinion from a lower court that ruled the games do offer a pari-mutuel betting system.

The case is now headed back to that court...the supreme court ruling the lower court applied the wrong legal standard.

In lexington...bobbi mcswine...abc 36 news.

Currently the only forms of legal gambling in kentucky are pari- mutuel wagering on horse races, charitable gaming, like bingo and