Louisiana Trying to Expand Gambling on Horse Races

A new gambling expansion bill is awaiting approval from the Governor of Louisiana State. This bill will allow horse race betting parlors across the State to install slot machines in their facilities. 

Democratic Senator Gary Smith had raised the proposal for the Bill. He believes that the proposed changes will majorly benefit the horse racing industry of the State. But no clear statement has yet been made to the public about the revenue earnings of the State from this new Bill.

Last Monday, the House passed the Bill with 85 votes in favor and 11 votes against. The next day, the Bill was passed in the Senate with 32 votes in favor of the Bill and 3 votes against it. 

The new slot machines to be installed are called historical horse racing. Players will be able to place bets on earlier horse races by looking at charts showing the odds for the different horses in the race. But they will not know the year when this race took place. 

Betting parlor owners believe that the revenue earned from losses at these slot machines will help to purchase betting horses and make betting on horse racing even more exciting. 

There are 13 off-track betting parlors in the New Orleans Fairgrounds. Louisiana has three more off-track betting parlors in Delta Downs of Vinton, Louisiana Downs of Bossier City, and Evangeline Downs in Opelousas. 

As per the proposed new Bill, each off-track betting parlor will be allowed to install up to 50 historical horse racing machines. But in parishes where voters had voted against off-track betting parlors, these machines cannot be installed without the citizens’ approval. 

If the Governor signs off on Senator Smith’s Bill, horse racing in Louisiana may get a new breath of life and revive some of its past glory.