Oklahoma House passes gaming bill

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A bill to allow three pari-mutuel horse racing tracks to have the same electronic games played at Indian casinos was approved Thursday in the Oklahoma House. <br><br>The measure, which

Thursday, February 26th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A bill to allow three pari-mutuel horse racing tracks to have the same electronic games played at Indian casinos was approved Thursday in the Oklahoma House.

The measure, which would raise $71 million for public education, was approved by a 52-47 vote. It has already passed the Senate.

Gov. Brad Henry and other supporters argued Senate Bill 553 is needed to save the horse racing industry and the 50,000 jobs that depend on it.

Opponents, including church leaders, opposed the bill on moral grounds and said it would add to the state's social problems, increasing the rate of divorce, bankruptcy and suicide.

The bill was taken up by the House after days of intense lobbying by horsemen, education supporters and others. The House turned down a similar plan a year ago.

Two lawmakers opposed to the bill reported receiving threats of bodily harm and one man was charged with making threatening telephone calls.

Henry had warned that failure to pass the bill could mean that Remington Park, the state's largest racetrack, would close within a year.

Under the bill, the Oklahoma City track will be allowed to operate 650 games. Two other tracks will operate 250 games and Fair Meadows in Tulsa, which runs horses at the fairgrounds, will share in some of the revenue.

Some of the state's biggest tribes say they will sign compacts under the bill. This will give the state its first regulatory power over tribal casinos and would legalize some games that have previously run afoul of federal regulations, resulting in hefty fines for the tribes.