Kentucky Governor Does a U-turn on Gambling Laws

In one of the biggest stance switches in Kentucky gambling history, Governor Steve Beshear has decided to unveil plans to create several new gambling facilities in the state, just several years after going out on a limb to ridicule and destroy the gambling industry in Kentucky, according to the United States gambling news.

It wasn’t that far back in people’s memories that the Governor, Mr. Beshear, attacked the online gaming businesses by attempting to seize over one hundred and forty online casino domain names, which ended in massive failure in court.

Several years later however, Beshear’s new bill would permit the construction of seven new facilities to be situated by race tracks, in an attempt to bring in the revenue the state used to generate from such events as the Kentucky Derby, for example.

In a speech on the matter, the Kentucky Governor said that: “the issue of expanded gambling, after nearly two decades of debate, has reached a tipping point.”

Steve Beshear continued by saying: “Recently, the people of this state were polled by two separate organizations, including the state Republican Party. Both surveys found that more than 80% of the people of this state, regardless of whether they support expanded gambling or are against it, want the right to vote on it. The question is simple: Do we as leaders listen to our people, or do we ignore them?”

It is quite unclear how the people of Kentucky will react this time around to the Governor’s change of stance. When he attempted to battle the online casinos in United States for their domain names, he found himself out of allies, with most of the state turned against him, and upset over the issue. Despite this, he remained relentless in his pursuit of damaging the industry.

Now though, things could be very different for Beshear. A good portion of Kentucky’s population do not want their state turning into another Las Vegas, or Atlantic City, with gamblers flocking to every street, and every town. The Governor may once again find himself out of favor with the locals. He does however, carry the backing of his party, which will surely aid him.

Kentucky is currently embroiled, like many other states, in ongoing changes to the American gambling laws. At present, whilst casinos remain legal in surrounding states, they are illegal in Kentucky, as is sports betting.

The notable exception however is that Kentucky does allow sports betting for it’s world famous horse races, and could be under considerable pressure to allow the construction of casinos, to keep up with their neighbors, if they wish the revenue take from such a scheme to be successful.