It's possible Georgia could vote on horse racing during 2012

Georgia has the state lottery. Will more gambling be coming to our state? It's possible, but our bet is that it's a long shot anytime soon. Here's the deal: Horse racing in Georgia is the topic being explored by a study committee led by Roswell Republican Rep. Harry Geisinger. The group is holding hearings around the state on pari-mutuel betting on horse racing and will made recommendations to the General Assembly by the end of the year. There's a possibility that Georgia voters could be allowed to vote in 2012 on whether to allow betting on horse races.
The chances of getting the issue on 2012 ballots may be difficult. The state must have a constitutional amendment on the issue. That would require a two-thirds vote by state lawmakers to put the matter on the ballot for voters to decide. While we sense there is growing support for new revenue sources -- such as pari-mutuel betting -- to help fund education and other needs, many conservatives will balk at adding more gambling in Georgia. Some people believe additional gambling opportunities would cut into the state's lottery revenue. Others think horse race tracks would soon be followed by casinos. This opposition by conservative influences would seem to make it difficult to get a two-thirds vote among lawmakers to put the issue on the ballot. Advocates of horse racing say it would raise millions in tourism revenue and create new jobs in breeding, training and medical care for horses. Already, 38 states have pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing. Georgia is the only one considering adding it now. It will be interesting to see what the study committee recommends, and even more interesting to see how our state lawmakers react to the recommendation.

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