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                      -- Kentucky Lawmaker Proposes Penny Breakage

"Saying Kentucky already has taken care of breeders, owners, and tracks, a prominent lawmaker voiced support of lowering the breakage rate for wagers on state races, a move that would increase payouts to winning horseplayers.

Rep. Adam Koenig, co-chairman of the Pari-Mutuel Wagering Taxation Task Force, expressed support for lowering breakage during a Nov. 19 meeting of the group in Frankfort. The task force was formed after legislation protecting historical horse racing games as pari-mutuel wagering was signed into law in February 2021.

Friday marked the task force's fifth and final hearing on tax and pricing issues related to HHR and pari-mutuel wagering.

"In the last few months, we've heard there's really three things we need to make horse racing go. We need the breeders and the owners, we need the tracks, and we need bettors. We've taken care of the first two groups," Koenig said of the money from HHR that has benefited Kentucky owners, breeders, and tracks. "As far as I'm concerned we're going to take care of the last group. And this is one of the possible ways—and I think—the easiest and best way to do it.""