Not All US States Cry Foul Over Online Casinos - 12-29-08

December 29 - Race track betting revenues all over the US have been fairly stagnant over the last few years, forcing some States to look for new sources of revenue. The State of Louisiana licensed slot machines at race tracks, and haven't looked back.

Many States in the US have taken the stance that they have to protect the Racing industry from the evil, marauding online casinos. The naive belief that horse racing customers are somehow deserting the racing industry in droves, and blaming the drop in wagering on the online casinos is purely unfounded. This is in fact the the bottom line in the Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear's ludicrous court case against online gambling operators.

The reality is that properly managed track businesses are holding their own and in some instances, flourishing. And they are doing this by focusing internally instead of looking for a scapegoat. The reality is that the majority of US tracks have done nothing in years to modernize the customer experience.

Louisiana has taken the lead, and are benefiting from slot machine revenues. The so-called "racinos" are supporting the industry, and the money flows right back into horse breeding  racing through taxes.

Ten years ago, the Louisiana racing industry was headed for a disaster. Legislating slots gave it a chance and all four tracks in the state are  doing well and a work force of over 8000 people are supported by the industry.

Maybe Beshear should look at the Louisiana Fairgrounds track and see how its done, instead of running after the online casinos.

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