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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

West Virginia Lawmaker Thinks Legislature Should Review Sports Betting Issues Plaguing the State

One of sports betting’s most vocal proponents in the West Virginia Legislature spoke with Casino.org Friday, saying it may be time for him and his fellow lawmakers in Charleston to look at why sports betting is struggling in the state. Sports betting...

Steve Bittenbender August 17, 2019

US Justice Department Wire Act Opinion Case Now Heads to Appellate Court

The Department of Justice (DOJ) gave official notice in a federal court in New Hampshire Friday that it will appeal a June ruling made by US District Judge Paul Barbadoro in dismissing its new interpretation of the Wire Act. The announcement means...

Steve Bittenbender August 16, 2019

William Hill US CEO Joe Asher Shares Insights as Iowa Sports Betting Kicks Off

ALTOONA, Iowa – William Hill US CEO Joe Asher spoke 1-on-1 with Casino.org Thursday at the grand opening of the bookmaker’s newest facility at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. In addition to talking about William Hill’s ability to quickly launch mobile sports...

Steve Bittenbender August 15, 2019

Iowa Sports Betting Launches: State Becomes 11th in US with Seven Books Open, William Hill Launches Mobile

ALTOONA, Iowa – On Thursday, Iowa officially became the 11th state in the country to allow sports betting, with seven of the 18 licensed sportsbooks opening across the state. That included the William Hill sportsbook at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. However,...

Steve Bittenbender August 15, 2019

Washington State Gambling Commission Tables NRA Foundation Plan to Raffle More Guns

At the urging of the state’s governor, the Washington State Gambling Commission voted last week to table a request by the National Rifle Association (NRA) Foundation to increase its price cap for raffle prizes in the upcoming year. State law allows the...

Steve Bittenbender August 13, 2019

FanDuel Bettor Hits 8-Team MLB Parlay for $30K in Absolutely Crazy Fashion Thanks to Comebacks (VIDEO)

When Kris Bryant and Lane Thomas hit go-ahead home runs for the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively, on Sunday, they didn’t just come through for their teams. The two blasts helped an undisclosed bettor complete an eight-team Major League Baseball...

Steve Bittenbender August 12, 2019

Ex-Con Vegas Entrepreneur Charles ‘Junior’ Johnson Will Return to Prison for Hiding Casino Funds from Feds

A former Las Vegas entrepreneur who went to prison on federal fraud charges more than a decade ago will return there. US District Judge Danny Reeves ruled last week in Lexington, Kentucky that Charles E. "Junior" Johnson, Jr. violated the terms of...

Steve Bittenbender August 12, 2019

Horse Racing Round Table Shows Both Industry Leaders, Humane Society Support Key Safety Reforms

Horse racing industry leaders gathered at Saratoga, N.Y. on Sunday for the annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, and as it has for almost all of 2019, safety and animal welfare dominated the discussion. The event, organized by The...

Steve Bittenbender August 12, 2019

Hard Rock Arkansas Developer Cries Foul Over Process to Issue Support Letter for Final Casino in State

The developer proposing Hard Rock Arkansas, one of the five groups seeking a casino license in Pope County, Ark., accused government leaders of unfair practices and claimed another proposal will get the county’s support. The accusation comes as the Pope County Quorum...

Steve Bittenbender August 11, 2019

New York Mets See Their World Series Odds Shorten Suddenly Thanks to Tremendous Run

A half-century after their first amazing comeback, it looks like the New York Mets are in the middle of another. The Mets rallied for two runs in the eighth inning to beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Saturday night. The win pulled...

Steve Bittenbender August 11, 2019