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Time to Protect Horse Racing from Casino Gambling Over
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA --
Horse racing is a venerable institution in the US. The tradition provides a sense of history, and gives employment to thousands around the country. Yet, the constant moves to change gambling laws in efforts to salvage the industry have not resulted in a horse racing boom. Legislators may have to accept a basic fact: gamblers today prefer other forms of gambling.
Kentucky has its ongoing court case, seeking forfeiture of 141 online casino domain names as a way to protect the state's "signature industry", as Governor Steve Beshear calls the horse racing business. Yet players still leave Kentucky to play at Indiana tracks, which host slot machine gambling.
Delaware is debating reactivating its dormant sports gambling program as a means to attract gamblers to state tracks. The state is worried that new slot racinos in Maryland and Pennsylvania will draw customers away from Dover Downs.
New Jersey is now planning to let gamblers with Internet access on their cell phones play with a mobile connection, placing bets over the phone. The reason this is contemplated is as a response to the Delaware sports move.
States throughout the US are adding slots and poker rooms, while Gulfstream Park in Florida is suing to force Seminole casinos to give up casino table games like blackjack, claiming customers are abandoning tracks to play at the Indian casinos.
The only form of gambling not being sought as a revenue booster or attraction to bring new gamblers to a state: horse racing. The only conclusion is that voiced by David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gambling Research at UNLV. "The real problem, though, is that gamblers simply are turning away from horse racing. Interest in the industry has been shrinking."
Maybe lawmakers should go ahead and obey the will of the people, legalizing and regulating the games they enjoy, rather than forever propping up and protecting a segment of the gambling industry whose time has passed.
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