Ellis Park in Henderson has won approval to become the second Kentucky racetrack to move ahead with expanded gambling.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved the plan with little fanfare Monday in Lexington.
Ellis Park plans to install 252 "Instant Racing" machines on the ground floor of its clubhouse building during the first few months of 2012. The game is already being played at Kentucky Downs in Franklin in south-central Kentucky. In September, that track became the first in the state to offer the game, which involves wagering on past horse races.
In a case before the Kentucky Court of Appeals, the Family Foundation of Kentucky argues that the game constitutes illegal gambling. A lower court ruled last year that the game is legal under pari-mutuel gambling laws.
