Texas racetracks try a fast one

[Bob Of Burleson]

Texas Racetrack Owners
Eye New Revenue Stream

The Associated Press

Racetrack owners are seeking the approval of state regulators to expand gambling to include racing terminals that look similar to slot machines.

The owners see the machines, known as historical racing terminals, as an important revenue stream that could boost a struggling industry. But slot machines are illegal at Texas tracks and critics of the effort say the terminals are nothing more than horse-themed slots.

Proponents counter that state law does not specify that pari-mutuel betting be only for live horse races, and they want to include racing terminals that display video feeds of previous horse races held at tracks at dozens of locations in the U.S., the Austin American-Statesman reported.

The feeds are stripped of any identifying information that could aid the bettor.

Sam Houston Race Park in Houston and other tracks are anticipating they can make the change without approval by lawmakers in Austin. That means they would need the approval of the Texas Racing Commission, which will consider the matter Tuesday. Commission spokesman Robert Elrod said no decision will be made Tuesday and that the earliest commission members could decide is August.

But advocacy groups such as Stop Predatory Gambling Texas have sent a letter to the commission saying it has no jurisdiction in the matter and cannot consider the changes.

. . .

The terminals would benefit a storied sport in Texas that is now barely holding on.

Mary Ruyle, executive director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association, told the American-Statesman that from 2000 to 2013 the number of Texas mares bred with Texas stallions dropped from 3,663 to 911.

Texas races are undesirable for many horse owners and trainers since the purses are much lower than in neighboring states, such as Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma, where tracks have been able to supplement purses with slot machines and other gambling operations.

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