Bill would allocate some gambling tax revenue to local governments where facilities are located
A bill filed last week in Frankfort would funnel some tax revenue collected from horse tracks and gaming centers such as Owensboro Racing & Gaming into a fund that could be used by local governments where gambling facilities are located.
The bill, House Bill 782, would create the 'Pari-Mutuel Racing Local Government Support Fund,' which would be administered by the Department of Local Government. The department would regulate how cities and counties with horse tracks and gaming facilities could spend the funds they received, with an emphasis on addressing 'the social costs of problem gambling,' the bill says.
Some areas where the funds could be spent include law enforcement retention; homelessness; and affordable housing.
Kentucky has a state-level Problem Gambling Assistance Fund, which receives excise tax revenue from gambling and sport wagering, but not a fund for cities and counties where gambling takes place.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Al Gentry, a Louisville Democrat who is Minortiy Caucus Chair for the House Democrats.
Gentry said excise tax revenue from gaming currently goes to the horse breeding industry, to the state's problem gaming fund and to the state. Under House Bill 782, a portion of the money that would normally be allocated to the state's general fund would be funneled to the local assistance fund, Gentry said.
The bill would not create an additional tax or raise the excise tax rate on gaming, Gentry said.
'There's no new tax here,' Gentry said. The bill would also not impact the state's efforts to boost the horse breeding industry. Much of the excise tax revenue is earmarked for thoroughbred, standardbred, quarterhorses, Arabian, Appaloosa and paint horse development, and various horse development programs.
'It does not take money from any equine industry that receives revenue' from the tax, Gentry said. 'It simply taxes (a portion) of the money that would go to the state general fund.'
The amount equal to 0.1% of all money wagered would be used to create the local government fund.
Daviess County is home to Owensboro Racing & Gaming, a $100 million facility that hosts 'historic horse racing' machines and facilities for sports wagering and betting on simulcast horse racing. Historic horse racing machines, which operate based on the outcomes of past horse races, were legalized in Kentucky in 2021.
'If you look at the other states that have historic horse racing, they allocate a portion (of their excise tax revenue) to the local governments,' Gentry said. States with traditional slot machines also used a portion of tax dollars to assist local officials in areas that contain gaming facilities, Gentry said.
The provisions in House Bill 782 are 'exactly what it's like in other states,' he said.
Gentry said he has discussed it with Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee Chairman Rep. Matthew Koch, a Paris Republican. Gentry said given the time remaining in this year's short legislative session, he doesn't anticipate the committee will call the bill for consideration this year.
The hope, Gentry said, is that lawmakers will discuss the plan during this year's legislative interim, and will be ready to take up the bill in a future session.
Another bill geared toward gaming facilities is House Bill 781, which was also filed by Gentry. The bill would require tracks and facilities that host historic horse racing to train staff on how to spot signs of problem gaming, and to respond. Employees would also receive training on spotting people who may be gaming while under the influence.
Information about resources to help problem gamers would be required to be posted, along with telephone numbers, and similar information would be required to be included in the gaming facility's marketing materials.
Gaming facilities and horse tracks would be required to report their efforts to prevent problem gaming and steer people toward assistance.
'Why not have some preventative standards?' Gentry said.
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