The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday to legalize historical horse racing machines, the gambling devices that closely resemble casino slots and have served as a major source of revenue for Kentucky’s horse industry over the past decade.
Senate Bill 120, which changes the definition of pari-mutuel wagering in state statute to include these HHR machines, passed the chamber by a 22-15 vote and now moves on to the House.
The horse racing industry championed the legislation after the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled last year that such machines do not constitute legal pari-mutuel racing, arguing the closure of tracks’ HHR facilities would devastate the industry and lead to massive job losses.
Critics of the legislation counter that SB 120 is unconstitutional and that the HHR machines could only be legalized through a constitutional amendment, which requires a statewide referendum and could only go into effect by late 2022 at the earliest.
