Why do the racetracks need slot machines?
In racing, the purse is king. The racetracks in neighboring states use slot machine revenues to create purses that are much higher than in Texas where tracks are dependent on pari-mutuel wagering revenues alone. Texas tracks can’t compete as our neighboring states lure away racing enthusiasts, higher quality animals, trainers and breeders with large purses they are generating. • In Louisiana, purses at Delta Downs increased from $45,000 to $245,00 per day after slot machines were legalized. • In the two years after slot machines were legalized in New Mexico, racing-agribusiness payrolls tripled, while the number of directly-related jobs rose by 180 percent. • Within one year following approval of slot machines in Oklahoma, Remington Park tripled its purses and quarter horses statewide climbed to an all-time high.
