Race tracks advocate to expand gambling

The state’s race tracks are proposing the allowance of full-scale gambling at
their locations, the Buffalo News reported. Under the plan, the group of racetracks
would shift from advocating for the expansion of casinos in the
Catskills to seeking rights to expand gambling for
games now deemed illegal in their race track facilities, such as
slot machines and table games. The group is lobbying for a
constitutional amendment that would restrict casino growth to the
state’s existing gambling facilities, and is hoping that such a proposal
would get more public approval than plans for new casinos. The
proposal would block new competition that would appear if the state
placed casinos at other sites. The group says tracks or their casino
partners would spend $1 billion on new construction to add new
gambling hall space, hotels and restaurants. State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver
has said that he does not want to see any casinos in New York City. [Buffalo News]