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Video Gambling Machines Give Maryland Tracks Alternative

MARYLAND – As reported by the Baltimore Sun: "When state lawmakers refused in the mid-1990s to legalize slot machines in Arkansas, the owners of tiny Oaklawn racetrack in Hot Springs didn't give up: They developed an alternative.

"Dozens of video gambling machines -- developed in part by a Maryland company -- are now crowded into a busy, casino-like gameroom at the thoroughbred track.

"They look, sound and play like slot machines. And each of the 180 devices generates more than $150 a day in profit on average. They are projected this year to become the track's No. 1 moneymaker, surpassing revenue from live and simulcast racing.

"But the devices, which were designed jointly by Oaklawn and Hunt Valley-based AmTote International, aren't slot machines. If they were, they would be illegal because Arkansas -- like Maryland -- doesn't permit slots and other games of chance at its tracks.

"…The machines that Oaklawn and AmTote developed and patented use more than 100,000 horse races that have already been run.

"Bettors are given information about the records of the horses, jockeys and trainers -- but not their names, so a fan who may have seen the race won't know the outcome.

"A player can bet from a nickel to $5 on three horses. One portion of the video screen shows a replay of the race, and another shows a spinning reel with slot-style icons -- such as horseshoes -- that line up to indicate when a player wins a bet.

"…To win, a player has to select the winning horse in four successive races. The pool grows until someone hits the jackpot. The payback to bettors ranges from 88 cents to 94 cents on the dollar…"

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