Press of Atlantic City – Legislation that would allow gamblers to bet on pre-recorded horse races could revitalize New Jersey’s slumping horse racing industry while bringing an unexpected boost to Atlantic City.
Known as “instant racing” in a proposal being floated in Trenton, the state’s horse racing industry wants to offer gaming that would allow players to bet from terminals on previously run horse races with identifying information removed from the jockeys and horses. The bets would have to flow through Atlantic City casinos to avoid any challenges to the state’s constitution, much like the state’s Internet gambling industry, lawmakers say.
That would mean Atlantic City casinos and Internet gambling firms could partner further with racetracks to offer instant wagering through electronic terminals. Atlantic City casinos would see a portion of the revenue through the arranged relationships, state Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, said.
“It’s not live racing. It’s a race that’s been run years ago. So that complicates things, frankly, to the benefit of Atlantic City,” Whelan said. “They would then have to run the instant wagering through an Internet company in Atlantic City.”
Kentucky and Arkansas are among the handful of states that currently allow the practice credited in some cases with saving thoroughbred racing industry. Unlike live racing, during which there are significant time lapses between races and the scheduling of live events, with instant racing, gamblers can bet continuously from terminals that select races at random, much like slot machines.
