In 2013, horse industry representatives pleaded with lawmakers in Idaho to legalize instant racing, in a desperate attempt to save their sliding trade. These machines allow customers to bet on historical races while flashing bright, neon colors and animations. Customers are shown small snippets of historical races, without being able to tell the horses apart, and then make a bet on who they think will win.
Heather Keen, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s public information officer feels these machines, which were initially presented as a fun and quaint way to bet on races from the past, “look an awful lot like slot machines.” Doug Okuniewicz, manager of Greyhound Park, which offers 35 of the machines, said, “I think their concerns are exclusively competitive,” and added, “There’s no basis for what they’re alleging. They want a Monopoly.”
The Coeur d’Alene Tribe claims Greyhound Park accused them of filing a formal complaint, but Keen told the Coeur d’Alene Press, “other than send the letter to the governor, we have done nothing official.” The letter was signed by the chairs of Coeur d’Alene, Kootenai, Shoshone-Bannock, and Shoshone-Paiute tribes.
According to Police Chief Scot Haug, the Post Falls Police are currently investigating the legality of the machines, due to a complaint. “It’s our job to look at if these machines are legal,” he said. “If they are, then that’s what our report will say.” In 2003, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled, “we are dealing with a slot machine that attempts to mimic traditional pari-mutuel wagering. Although it may be a good try, we are not so easily beguiled.”
Out of the three Idaho racetracks to feature the machines, Les Bois Park houses the most, at 200, which cost them $2 million to install. Haug expects to send a report to the prosecutor within 30 to 45 days.
