Lincoln Journal Star - March 30, 2010
By Nancy Hicks
A plan to use historic horse-racing machines as a life-support system for Nebraska's failing racing industry is dead for the year.
A successful filibuster killed the bill (LB1102) that would have allowed the machines at Nebraska's five licensed tracks.
Supporters fell three votes short of the 33 required to stop the filibuster.
"It's a sad, sad day for racing," said Mike Kelley, who lobbies for the horse-racing industry, after the six-hour debate ended.
"Unless something changes, this could be the beginning of the end of live horse racing in Nebraska," he said.
The bill's failure also jeopardizes the plans to build a one-mile track in Lincoln, replacing the track at State Fair Park that will be closed in 2012.
"Without a revenue stream, that's going to be difficult," Kelley said.
What's next for the racing supporters?
"Let's see if they cash losing tickets anywhere," he said.
Opponents pointed to the increased social costs associated with expanded gambling and compulsive gambling: increased crime, bankruptcy, divorce.
The historic horse-racing machines are more like slot machines than live horse racing, which is viewed as a less addictive form of gambling, they said.
"If it looks like a duck, has feathers like a duck, walks like a duck, swims like a duck, it's a duck," said Sen. John Harms of Scottsbluff, describing instant racing terminals, which show clips of historic races and allow people to wager on them.
You can wager on two races a minute using the machines, while a live horse race generally takes more than 20 minutes, said Sen. Mark Christensen of Imperial.
"This is not a race you are watching. It is a machine. There's just a glimpse of a former race so you can make bets faster," he said.
But supporters said the machines are not slot machines -- though they mimic slot machines with lights and sounds.
"Just because someone says it's a slot machine, doesn't make it a slot machine," said Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford.
Some senators also feared this new gambling would eat into keno revenue that helps support pools, parks and libraries in communities.
More than $37 million in keno profits have been used in Lincoln and Lancaster County since 1993, said Lincoln Sen. Bill Avery, a filibuster leader.
"We are not creating a new economic activity. The machines at the tracks will simply divert gambling money that now goes to other forms of gambling," Avery said.
But supporters said the new gambling would help sustain the live horse-racing industry and its approximately 2,000 jobs, including breeders, trainers and track workers.
"Is it time to turn out the lights?" asked Omaha Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh, who made the bill his priority. "Because that is what we are doing if we fail to act now."
