The horse racing industry in Idaho is breathing a collective sigh of relief after Governor Butch Otter opted to veto a piece of legislation which called for a ban of Instant Racing machines in the state.
An article by the Idaho Statesman explains that the Senate then chose not to override the Governor’s veto.
The report goes on to state that Governor Otter then announced a moratorium on the addition of new machines in the state until “operating rules that are sensitive to both the community and industry concerns” are created and established.
In his veto message, Governor Otter wrote that, in his view, “a precious part of Idaho’s Western culture is at stake” in regard to the stability and future of the state’s horse racing industry, which has become reliant on revenues taken in from Instant Racing (aka ‘Historical Racing’) terminals.
It was reported earlier that lawmakers feel that they were ‘duped’ into supporting a 2013 bill that called for the legalization of the historical racing terminals. According to the lawmakers, they believe that the terminals are cleverly disguised slot machines. Slot machines are illegal in the state.
(With files from the Idaho Statesman)