KENTUCKY EXPANDED GAMBLING BILL THROWN OUT

Governor Steve Beshear of Kentucky - the politician who made an unprecedented (and so far unsuccessful) attempt to hijack the international domain names of online gambling companies last year - has suffered another defeat, this time at the hands of the Kentucky Senate.

Beshear's carefully engineering legislative attempt to expand gambling at the state's racetracks by adding video gaming machines passed the House last week (see previous InfoPowa reports) but was thrown out by the state Senate Appropriations Revenue Committee Monday despite pleas from the horse-racing industry that it can’t compete with neighbouring states that offer gambling.

State Senators voted 10-5 against the measure, with two members abstaining, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

A disappointed Governor Beshear said Monday evening: "The limited gaming proposal was designed to help save a signature industry in peril – an industry that means 100 000 jobs and $4 billion in investment for our state. It is unfortunate that every voice on this critically important issue was not heard and every vote not counted."

Addressing a Frankfort press conference, Turfway Park President Bob Elliston said Turfway could close by 2010 if Ohio passes gaming legislation and Kentucky does not. Ohio Governor Ted Strickland recently reversed his stance against gambling at racetracks.

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