Credit J. Tyler Franklin / WFPL
Legislation to keep slot machine-like historical racing games in Kentucky got its first hearing in the General Assembly on Thursday.
Senate Bill 120 seeks to codify historical racing in state law after the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled last year that the machines don’t qualify as “pari-mutuel wagering,” the gambling form traditionally used for betting on horse races.
Historical racing parlors have become lucrative businesses for some racetracks in Kentucky, which doesn’t permit traditional casinos.
Tom Drury, a horse trainer from Goshen, said revenue from historical racing has helped keep the horse industry afloat in the state.