Expanded gambling unlikely to get push in 2022
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State GOP legislators from the Owensboro area and a Democrat member of a state task force on horse-racing related gaming said there is little to no chance for an expanded gambling bill passing in Frankfort in the 2022 session.
On Oct. 26, Ellis Entertainment announced plans for a $16.7 million simulcasting and historic horse racing facility, which is planned for Towne Square Mall. A bill passed by lawmakers earlier this year allows horse tracks to have facilities within 60 miles of a track for simulcasting races and for historical racing gaming.
Efforts to legalize expanded casino-style gambling in Kentucky have been fruitless in the past. Although lawmakers did allow off-track simulcasting and historic horse racing machine gaming this past session, the General Assembly will be focused on other matters in 2022, local legislators said.
Rep. Suzanne Miles, an Owensboro Republican and a member of the House of Representative’s GOP leadership, said in a message Thursday the leadership is focusing on the next state budget rather than other issues.
“The main focus going into the session will be the budget, especially due to the circumstances we’ve had to deal with with COVID and the ARPA money coming in from the federal” government, Miles said. “The main focus I have right now is working on the budget, and I think that would be the focus or leadership is looking at.”
Rep. DJ Johnson, an Owensboro Republican, said he has not heard any talk among lawmakers about an expanded gaming bill. No bills for expanded gambling had been prefiled for consideration in Frankfort.
Lawmakers will want to gauge what happens with the the off-track simulcasting and historic horse racing facilities before they consider any other gambling legislation, Johnson said.
“It seems like the legislature is satisfied with the current status quo,” Johnson said. Lawmakers will gauge the impact of the bill passed earlier this year “before we have any discussion of anything else,” Johnson said.
Rep. Al Gentry, a Louisville Democrat and member of the Pari-Mutuel Wagering Taxation Task Force, said there’s likely not the political will in Frankfort to pass an expanded gambling bill, but said there is the possibility of legislation allowing sports wagering.
“As far as casino-type gaming, I’d say there’s no chance,” Gentry said. “The real reason is there’s just not enough support in the majority party, in either chamber.”
Republicans control both the House and the Senate.
Gentry said Democrats would support such a bill, but added that “there’s not enough of them to matter.”
“When you talk about any kind of expanded gaming at all, I would say the only (possibility) is sports wagering,” Gentry said.
The task force, which was created by the bill that allowed off-track simulcasting and historic horse racing machines, is examining how different types of horse racing-related wagering is taxed and how those tax dollars are allocated. Currently, a portion of those revenues are allocated to help pay track purses, for a breeder’s fund and to universities with equine programs.
Gentry said committee members are considering making some changes to how horse racing-related revenue is distributed, and he said some of those funds could be allocated to help people with gambling addiction.
That change has bipartisan support, Gentry said.
“I think you’ll see some movement there,” he said.
Gentry said he supports some of those dollars going to local governments where historic horse racing facilities are located.
Rep Jim Gooch, a Providence Republican, said a bill to create more expanded gambling, such as casino-style gambling, is unlikely in the upcoming session.
“I don’t expect something along those lines to move this session,” Gooch said. “We are going to be tackling redistricting and the budget.”
Legislators had a difficult time passing the bill that passed earlier this year, Gooch said, and said the legislature was prompted to act after the Supreme Court ruled historical horse racing machines used at some tracks was not pari-mutuel wagering. Historic horse racing machines are like slot machines using randomly selected, previously run horse races.
“We had a tough time getting it passed, and it was the result of a court decision that required us to do something,” Gooch said.
Gooch, who represents Webster, McLean and parts of Daviess and Hopkins counties, said passing an expanded gaming bill would not be an expansion for his Webster County constituents.
“Once you cross the bridge (in Henderson), you already have full-scale casinos” in Evansville, Gooch said. “Nothing we could do would make it any closer to my constituents.”
James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
