G3 INSIGHT - HHR MACHINES
new turf course at Arizona Downs and increase purses from $80,000 to $300,000. However, the bill faces strong opposition from Native American tribes even though the number of HRMs would be limited to just 15 per cent of tribal gaming positions.
AGREEMENTS REACHED
In Oregon, Grants Pass Downs holds the only commercial horse racing licence issued by the State. CEO Travis Boersma announced his intention to operate 250 HRMs in a new facility which would be adjacent to the track. It will be up to the Oregon Racing Commission to decide if these machines will be granted a licence. An online version of HHR is already available in the state via Luckii which is managed by managed by ELS Gaming. Luckii is authorised by the Oregon Racing Commission for play by Oregon residents while they are in the state.
Despite this, the industry suffered a setback as the Supreme Court in September last year when it ruled that they were illegal because they did not meet pari-mutuel wagering standards under state law. Te president of the Kentucky Toroughbred Association Braxton Lynch told lawmakers that the ruling would “devastate horse racing” leading to “a mass exodus of horses from our racetracks and farms alike.” It was no surprise that Senators moved quickly to ensure their continuation by approving Bill 120 which effectively updated the definition of pari-mutuel to include HHR.
However, not everyone was happy with their continued roll out in the state as some argue that there is no meaningful difference between HRM’s and a slot machine. Non-profit organisation that advocates for conservative legislation, “Te Family Foundation,” argued that HHR would ultimately spell the demise of the horse racing industry and that the horse racing industry had “made a deal with the Devil.”
Despite any moral opposition, tracks need to raise money and modernise their facilities and lawmakers seeing their capacity to raise much
In Oregon, Grants Pass Downs holds the only commercial horse racing license issued by the State.
CEO Travis Boersma announced his intention to operate 250 HRMs in a new facility which would be
adjacent to the track. It will be up to the Oregon Racing Commission to decide if these machines will be granted a licence.
needed revenue are changing their laws.
In Arizona, Senate Bill 1794 would allow for HRM’s at racetracks and off-track betting parlours in order to raise handle and boost attendance. Attendance at racetracks has almost halved in the state since 2004. Tey could also generate as much as $140m in new tax revenues. According to lobbying group “Save Arizona Horse Racing” allowing HHR in the state would lead to $300m in capital investments, including the installation of a
In addition to regulatory changes, there have also been a flurry of agreements and an overall expansion of the market over the last few years. HHR’s were given the green light in Virginia in 2019. In November that same year the Colonial Downs Group opened Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Hampton, Virginia. Te $40m gaming venture offers 700 HRM’S. Rosie’s Gaming Emporium now has five locations with plans in motion for at least three new additions. In October 2020 Churchill Downs opened its US$38m Newport Racing and Gaming, its historical racing and gaming facility in Kentucky. Te 47,000- square foot facility offers 500 HRMs.
NEW HHR PRODUCTS
Developers and manufacturers have been working on new HRR products. In June 2020, IGT announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell 1,250 historical racing machines to Churchill Downs Incorporated. In June 2021, Aristocrat Gaming and Churchill Downs announced that they had again expanded their partnership by entering a new long-term agreement that would bring Aristocrat’s games to the HRM market. In April 2021, Ainsworth Game Technology announced that it had partnered with Konami Gaming to launch HRMs for Churchill Downs.
To find out more about some of the most innovative products to hit the industry for years we talked to some of the key industry players. How do HRMs differ in look and feel from a more traditional slot? How will the product develop going forwards and what impact will they have on the gambling landscape in the future?
WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS P33
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