02/19/2013 1:21PM

No Kentucky casino legislation in 2013, Beshear says

By Matt Hegarty
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Always a longshot, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said in an interview on public radio Tuesday that an effort to authorize casinos in the state is dead for this year.

The deadline to file new legislation passed last week without a casino bill being filed. Beshear had said earlier this year that he was considering support for a bill that would legalize as many as seven casinos in the state, but the bill did not guarantee that existing racetracks would receive licenses, causing some tracks to withdraw support for the effort.

Because it is an odd-numbered year, Kentucky is conducting a brief, 30-day legislative session this year. The state has pressing problems with funding its state pension plans, and those troubles had introduced the possibility that a casino bill might have been used to generate revenue to at least partially cover the shortfalls in the plans.

Legislation calling for a constitutional referendum on authorizing casinos is expected to be re-introduced in 2014.

akhiym james 10 months ago
Kentucky racing has been able to survive without having casinos. The only track this hurts is Turfway and Ellis Park. Kentucky Downs is getter better with their parimutuel racing machines but their meet is very short so they weren't hurt really at all. If Kentucky gets casinos they will have the best racing in country
1971 Whippet 10 months ago
Kentucky has Keeneland, every bit as good as the Saratoga meeting. CD has the Derby and a few other stakes which are noteworthy but, unfortunately, they'll never have the best racing in the country. Kentucky just doesn't support the game like it should. And, with a much better reinforcement schedule than horse racing, getting some KY horseplayers familiar with casino games at the tracks might only draw more dollars away from their on-track handle. Keeneland is a destination and doesn't want/need slots. CDI love it....but would it draw the worlds' best horses, year-round? Probably not. And tracks like Turfway? Toast.