Lawmakers ignoring Constitution on sports wagering, says family group

[et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”Press Release” subhead=”Lawmakers ignoring Constitution on  sports wagering, says family group (August 21, 2019)” text_orientation=”right” scroll_down_icon_color=”#ffffff” scroll_down_icon_size=”47px” button_one_text=”Visit Press Room” button_one_url=”https://www.kentuckyfamily.org/index.php/press-room/” admin_label=”TFF Fullwidth Header” _builder_version=”3.16″ title_font=”|800|||||||” title_text_color=”#ffffff” title_font_size=”54px” subhead_font=”|600|||||||” subhead_font_size=”23px” background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.38)” background_image=”https://www.kentuckyfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Press-Mobile-Banner.jpg” background_blend=”darken” custom_button_two=”on” button_two_text_size=”25px” button_two_border_width=”4px” button_two_border_radius=”40px” button_two_font=”|700|||||||” custom_button_one=”on” button_one_text_size=”16px” button_one_text_color=”#ffffff” button_one_border_width=”4px” button_one_border_radius=”40px” button_one_font=”|700|||||||” button_one_icon_color=”#ffffff” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” custom_padding=”175px||0px|” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”Press Release” subhead=”Lawmakers ignoring Constitution on sports wagering, says family group  (April 30, 2018)” text_orientation=”right” scroll_down_icon_color=”#ffffff” scroll_down_icon_size=”47px” button_one_text=”Visit Press Room” button_one_url=”https://www.kentuckyfamily.org/index.php/press-room/” admin_label=”TFF Fullwidth Header” _builder_version=”3.16″ title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_text_color=”#ffffff” title_font_size=”50px” subhead_font=”|600|||||||” subhead_text_align=”center” subhead_font_size=”24px” background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.38)” background_image=”https://www.kentuckyfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Press-Mobile-Banner.jpg” background_blend=”darken” custom_button_two=”on” button_two_text_size=”25px” button_two_border_width=”4px” button_two_border_radius=”40px” button_two_font=”|700|||||||” custom_button_one=”on” button_one_text_size=”16px” button_one_text_color=”#ffffff” button_one_border_width=”2px” button_one_border_radius=”41px” button_one_font=”|600|||||||” button_one_icon_color=”#ffffff” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”]

LEXINGTON, KY — “That silence you hear coming from Frankfort is the Joint Licensing and Occupations Committee not talking about how their sports wagering legislation is unconstitutional,” said Martin Cothran, a spokesman for The Family Foundation, which opposes expanded gambling in the state.

“Just because the gambling industry has come to this state and is waving money in the faces of policymakers doesn’t make the Constitution go away. Legislators should resist the siren song of the gambling industry that is telling legislators that it’s okay to ignore our state’s constitution.”

Cothran also questioned the idea of putting the oversight of sports wagering into the hands of the state’s Horse Racing Commission. “The Committee wants to bypass Kentucky voters and give complete authority to oversee gambling expansion to an unelected and unaccountable Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.”

Cothran pointed out that only three forms of gambling are allowable under the state constitution: pari-mutuel horse racing, the Lottery, and charitable gaming. “Sports wagering doesn’t fit under any of these. If you want to have sports wagering in this state, you’ve got to pass a Constitution amendment.”

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