Senate rejects bill to expand state's horse racing

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Legislation intended to expand the horse racing industry in Missouri failed by a nose in the Senate on Wednesday.

The Senate voted 17-16 against the bill, which had originally addressed background checks for people working in the gambling industry. The horse racing language was attached during negotiations with the House, which passed a separate bill on the topic earlier in the session.

At issue is the number of days that Missouri horse tracks may offer simulcast betting on races telecast from other states.

Under current law, a track may offer simulcast betting only for as many days as it holds live horse races. The restriction is blamed for the failure of any track to survive in the state since voters approved pari-mutuel wagering in 1984.

Betting on simulcast races would be allowed year-round under the measure defeated Wednesday.

Opponents said Missouri already has enough gambling in the form of riverboat casinos on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

"The only thing they bring to Missouri is the taxes we get from them," said Sen. Wayne Goode, D-St. Louis. "They do hurt aspects of the economy. They do cause people to have serious family problems. It's pretty hard to justify."

Sen. John Loudon, R-Ballwin, said he was concerned that the horse racing provision had been hung on the original measure.

"We took a bill that had to do with finger printing and background checks ... and it was combined with a horse racing bill," Loudon said.