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Reporter: Steve Bittenbender

Steve Bittenbender covers Midwest and Gulport news for Casino.org. He also specializes in sports betting and horse racing. Steve is a veteran reporter and brings more than two decades of experience covering sports, business and politics. He joined Casino.org in 2019.

Steve has also covered major collegiate and professional sports for the Associated Press and the Louisville Courier-Journal and is frequently featured on local network TV newscasts and podcasts for his horse racing business and legislative expertise. A Reuters contributor, he has also previously served as editor for Government Security News.

Steve lives in Louisville, Kentucky -- the epicenter of the US horse racing industry -- with his wife and son. He is also an avid poker player, having learned from his uncle as a wholesome after-school pastime with cookies and milk.

Contact Steve at stevebittenbender@casino.org.

Areas of Expertise

1979 stories by Steve Bittenbender

Nebraska Judge Blocks Fonner Park from Offering Historical Horse Racing Machines to Patrons

Work has stopped – for now – on bringing historical horse racing (HHR) to Nebraska, after a judge issued a restraining order keeping a race track from installing the machines. The ruling last week is the latest turn in a matter that’s...

Steve Bittenbender March 5, 2020

PointsBet Cleared For Indiana Mobile Sports Betting, Soft Launch Expected Thursday

PointsBet will launch in its third state on Thursday, when the Australian-based sportsbook goes live with its mobile betting application in Indiana. The Indiana Gaming Commission on Wednesday announced that it gave PointsBet clearance to start taking bets as soon as Thursday....

Steve Bittenbender March 5, 2020

England Football Association Bans Daniel Sturridge Through Mid-June for Breaking Gambling Rules

An appeals board in England Monday agreed with the Football Association (FA) that penalties levied against former Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge for providing inside information for the purposes of gambling were too lenient. As a result, the 30-year-old forward will miss the...

Steve Bittenbender March 4, 2020

Stronach Group COO Tim Ritvo Leaves Racing Company to Pursue Other Opportunities

There’s been a shakeup over at The Stronach Group, which owns race tracks in California, Florida, and Maryland. On Monday, the company announced the sudden departure of COO Tim Ritvo, who left the company immediately. The company said in the release announcing...

Steve Bittenbender March 4, 2020

Four Queens, Binions Back Up After Slots Outage, Other Systems Affected at Downtown Vegas Casinos

Six days after slots were taken down at two downtown Las Vegas casinos, service is apparently resuming. However, it’s still not quite business as usual for either the Four Queens Resort and Casino or Binion’s Gambling Hall, its sister property. The trouble...

Steve Bittenbender March 3, 2020

Oregon Lottery Director Tells Board Profitability for Sports Betting Will ‘Take Time’ as Officials Seek to Improve Operations

The Oregon Lottery discussed the start of Scoreboard, the lottery’s sports betting application, during the Board of Commissioners meeting Friday morning. Officials said that a sportsbook – like any other startup – needs time to make money. Still, Lottery Director Barry Pack...

Steve Bittenbender March 2, 2020

Decision 2020: Biden Wins in SC, Two Drop Out, But Sanders Still Favorite as Democratic Presidential Nominee

Joe Biden was the big winner over the weekend, as the former Vice President easily won the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary on Saturday. But was that win enough to turn the tide away from Vermont US Sen. Bernie Sanders ahead of...

Steve Bittenbender March 2, 2020

Dennis’ Moment Resumes Kentucky Derby Quest Saturday as Favorite in Fountain of Youth

The Road to Kentucky Derby 146 goes back through Hallandale Beach, Fla., on Saturday for the running of the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The race marks the 3-year-old debut for one of the most talked-about Derby prospects...

Steve Bittenbender February 29, 2020

College Basketball: Three Ranked Matchups Highlight Leap Day Docket with Maryland, Iowa, and Kentucky Favored

Leap Day this year is giving college basketball fans a nice appetizer for March Madness. The next to last weekend in the regular season for the power conferences in NCAA basketball tips off Saturday, and the docket includes three games featuring teams...

Steve Bittenbender February 29, 2020

Churchill Downs CEO Talks to Analysts About Coronavirus and Kentucky Derby, Indicates Preference for Retail Sports Betting on Quarterly Call

Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Inc., told analysts Thursday on a quarterly conference call that the Louisville-based gaming company is doing its due diligence when looking at the coronavirus and its possible impact on the Kentucky Derby. The big race is...

Steve Bittenbender February 28, 2020