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Newly elected House Speaker Greg Stumbo is pushing for slot machines to help preserve Kentucky’s legendary place in the horse racing industry.   Under the bill he has proposed, slot machines would be administered by the Kentucky Lottery.  Stumbo also reasons that there would be no reason for a constitutional amendment if the slot machine are operated at racetracks as people already gamble in these venues.

Confident in his opinion, Stumbo said, “I would wager my law license that I’m correct about this.”

“They did not intend in any way, form, or fashion, to limit or exclude other forms or types of gambling – only state run lotteries,” said Stumbo in regards to the intent of the original authors of the Kentucky Constitutions.

Stumbo is convinced that slot machines operated at horse tracks is already covered in the current language of the constitution and now amendment will be necessary.

“To me it’s no different than if the lottery chooses to put a new game out and they’re selling lottery tickets at the SuperAmerica or wherever they’re selling them. It’s not really an expansion of gaming. It’s simply a new form or gaming.”

However, Stumbo’s opinion on slot machines has received so opposition.  According to Martin Cothran of ‘Say No To Casinos’ the intent of the constitutional amendment was made clear back in 1988 with Kentucky citizens voted in favor of a state lottery.

 “Voters were told in reports like the report of the Lottery Commission, released October 31st, 1988, that lottery games included only what are called instant and online games, designations that exclude VLT’s,” said Cothran.

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