THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT.
Overview
of Gaming in Kentucky
Pari-mutuel
wagering on horse racing still generates the lion's share of gaming
revenues in Kentucky, in spite of the presence of a state lottery
as well as charitable gaming. Louisville's world famous Churchill
Downs, Keeneland in Lexington, Northern Kentucky's Turfway Park
and Ellis Park in Henderson are the state's primary thoroughbred
tracks; standardbreds race at the Red Mile in Lexington and Prestonburg's
Thunder Ridge in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. Dueling Grounds,
located thirty miles north of Nashville in Franklin, Kentucky,
and Paducah's Bluegrass Downs are operated primarily for simulcasting
and have limited race cards. Bluegrass Downs has been purchased
by Players International in the hope that casino gaming will eventually
be legalized in Kentucky and limited to existing race tracks,
and for the first time in recent years, such an outcome is not
out of the question.
Gaming
issues have once again become a hot topic in Kentucky in the course
of the 2002 legislative session, and the state's lawmakers have
been faced with unprecedented pressure this year either to expand
permitted forms of gaming in the Commonwealth or to stop any such
expansion in its tracks-depending on the inclinations of the groups
bringing such pressure. Increasing competition from state and
regional lotteries and the riverboat gambling permitted by surrounding
states has brought the state's racetracks into the discussion
on the side of permitting such expansion, at least to the extent
of limiting the location of newly permitted gaming to thoroughbred
racing venues. It's not clear at present whether any action will
be taken on this matter in the current legislative session, but
for the first time the issue is definitely on the table.
