Representatives from Keeneland and Red Mile announced that historical racing operations at Red Mile Gaming and Racing, 1200 Red Mile Rd., will be temporarily suspended following the close of business Sunday.
In a decision this past September, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that some historical racing games are illegal under current statutes. Keeneland and Red Mile filed a petition to rehear the case, which the court subsequently denied.
Keeneland and Red Mile have released a statement regarding the temporary closure.
“We were disappointed the Kentucky Supreme Court denied our petition for rehearing,” it reads. “At this time, Keeneland and Red Mile have made the very difficult decision to temporarily close historical horse racing operations until there is more clarity surrounding the situation. We have confidence the Kentucky legislature will continue its efforts to protect jobs and state revenue generated by historical horse racing, as well as protect Kentucky’s signature horse racing industry.”
Historical racing slot machines are a type of wagering in which a player's odds of winning are based on three randomly selected historic horse races, which are usually shown on a screen at the top of the machine. Bets from multiple players are thrown together in a payout pool from which all the players' winnings are paid.
At issue are certain types of historical racing machines that are not considered pari-mutuel, or do not place bets into a common payout pool, as is allowed under current state law.
Proponents of historical racing machines and the revenue they generate for the state, including Gov. Andy Beshear, have called for greater clarity around the issue as well as legislative change, if needed, to expand the types of wagering allowed in the state.
“Historical horse racing is an important part of Kentucky’s economy that supports jobs and contributes over $21 million to the state budget," Gov. Beshear said in a statement. "We are working with various partners to find a path forward.”