Instant Racing Approved for Oregon Racetracks

Instant Racing, a pari-mutuel video lottery game currently offered at racetracks in Arkansas, has been approved by the Oregon Racing Commission for use at the state's racetracks. Oregon is the second state to approve the devices.

RaceTech, founded in 1999, launched Instant Racing at Oaklawn Park and Southland Greyhound Park three years ago. In Oregon, they would be located at two Magna Entertainment-operated tracks, Multnomah Greyhound Park and Portland Meadows.

"This is a big moment for us at RaceTech," Louis Cella, one of the principals in RaceTech. "We look forward to the installation of our machines in Oregon and trust that Instant Racing can generate much-needed funds for the racing industry there like it has in Arkansas."

Instant Racing machines are pari-mutuel but feature many of the sights and sounds typically associated with electronic gaming.

Last year, Oaklawn registered almost $30 million in handle on its 150 Instant Racing machines and generated about $500,000 for purses. So far this year, Instant Racing play is running 80% ahead of last year.

Because Instant Racing is completely electronic, wagers can be divided into numerous pools. The first generation of Instant Racing featured eight ways to win on a single wager. The latest generation features more than 20 ways to win on a single wager. The Instant Racing system currently offers six different games.

RaceTech has hoped to branch out into other states with a goal of having huge common pools when all Instant Racing machines are linked.