The Kentucky Senate today approved a measure to amend Kentucky's lottery laws to add "shared lottery games" tying lottery ticket sales and horse races together. Senate Bill 74 permits proceeds from lottery ticket sales to be used to place pari-mutuel wagers by the Kentucky Lottery Corporation on future live races.

The bill further allows the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to approve shared lottery games developed in collaboration with the Lottery Corporation.

Under the measure, the lottery's electronic ticket purchase system will be able to interface directly with the totalizator system to place and accept wagers.

The results of the race on which the pari-mutuel wagers are placed are then used to determine winners of the shared lottery game.

Proponents of the measure argue shared lottery games will bring a needed boost to the horse racing industry and create an exciting new lottery game which could generate new revenue to the state. The measure would allow for unique games as proposed by EquiLottery.

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