The state of Kentucky only allows pari-mutuel gaming. Slot machines and other types of casino games are banned by law. The new machines at the central Kentucky racetrack are slot-like instant racing games. The machines simulate real races from the past, some reaching back several years. The games do not give any indication of what race it is. There are no dates or horse names. Players then pick a random horse, knowing nothing about it, and then win money based on how it places.

To some, it’s a fun way to bet money on horse races without having to actually be at the horse races, which is kind of odd for being at a racetrack. For others, it is a blatant way to sneak slot machines into the track. The rows of machines at Kentucky Downs, with their bright lights and sounds, make it look like a casino. According to some opponents, that is what Kentucky Downs has become.

Kent Ostrander, executive director of the Family Foundation, which opposes the machines, says that it is “just an underhanded way to get these machines in the state even before the Court of Appeals have made its final ruling.”

The Kentucky Racing Commission ruled that the instant racing machines are a type of pari-mutuel gaming, not slot machines, and are therefore allowed in the state of Kentucky. Two different groups challenged that ruling and the appellate court has not yet ruled on those challenges. Kentucky is now only the second state to try instant racing machines, with Arkansas the first.

Last year, Governor Steve Beshear and the state of Kentucky attempted to seize the domain names of 141 online gambling sites. The Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) and the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) immediately filed a petition to block the seizure of those domains. Under current state statutes, online gambling isn’t even illegal in the state of Kentucky, though of course laws can be interpreted a variety of ways, which is why lawyers exist.

Yesterday, the state Supreme Court ruled against the 141 gambling sites. In the ruling, the court stated that the domain names themselves cannot serve as an entity and court and they must be owned by a person or entity. With no owners in court, iMEGA therefore did not supply a member of the domain names. In other words, the court threw out the petition because iMEGA’s clients did not appear in court.

As a result of this ruling, the state of Kentucky can once again attempt to seize the online gambling domain names. If they do, however, it’s likely that iMEGA would file another petition. It is the belief of iMEGA that the Supreme Court’s ruling is not final and that if they can produce an owner of one or more of the domain names, the Court would be willing to hear their case.

Joe Brennan, Chairman of iMEGA, stated that “the Court clearly indicates they agree with our arguments and are inviting us to re-file so that the technicality of the standing issue can be resolved.” iMega plans to re-file and when the Supreme Court reaches a decision, we’ll let you know.

The Senate President, David Williams, attempted to make things more clear. Like the rest of the country, the Bluegrass State is hurting financially, and any extra revenue would be helpful. Many see putting slot machines in the state’s many horse race tracks as a way to generate much-needed revenue. Some lawmakers, however, are opposed to the idea.

Williams, the leading Republican in the Senate, had a novel idea: let the voters decide. After all, the state, like the rest of the country, is supposed to be a Representative Republic, after all, which means that the people are supposed to get a say on what laws are passed.

Williams introduced a bill that would have called for a state-wide vote on the slots. The bill was blocked by the Senate Democrats, which makes sense. To Democrats, there’s no idea crazier than listening to the people. I mean, if you let constituents decide things, they may not decide what you want! And then what?

The House had previously passed a bill for gambling expansion, but with Williams’s bill shot down in the Senate, it’s back to the drawing board. Many of the Democrats who voted against the bill are actually for putting slots in the race tracks; however, they don’t want the people to vote on it for fear that the idea would be rejected. Now they may end up with nothing.