Idaho’s horsemen groups drafting legislation in effort to save horse racing

Idaho’s horsemen groups say they are drafting legislation that includes a key to saving their faltering industry.

While supporters aren’t disclosing the full details about the bill, they say it includes language regarding slot-like machines known as instant horse racing that would be overseen and regulated by a state gaming commission.

Clayton Russell with the Idaho Quarter Horse Association says that the commission would oversee all of Idaho’s different forms of gambling, which would include the state lottery, horse racing, dog racing and Indian casinos.

However, the bill’s biggest challenge will be securing a hearing in an Idaho Statehouse that overwhelmingly voted to repeal instant horse racing during last year’s legislative session.

Instant horse racing allows bettors to place wages on prior horse races with no identifiable information.