1979 stories by Steve Bittenbender
Kentucky Tracks See Big Jump as Wagering on Historical Racing Machines Tops $2 Billion in FY19
Thanks in large part to the addition of a Churchill Downs-owned parlor, the total handle for instant racing in Kentucky jumped by more than 85 percent in the 2019 fiscal year, which ended on June 30. Instant racing machines, also known as...
Louisiana Riverboats Endure June Swoon as Only One Sees Monthly Revenues Jump from 2018
June was not a lucky month for Louisiana’s riverboat casinos. Data from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board showed that of the state’s 15 boats, only one of them saw an increase in revenue last month compared to June 2018. That winner was...
British Bookmaker Betfred to Start US Sports Betting Operations in Iowa, Plans Locations Across the Country
The US sports betting market is about to get a new competitor. Betfred has signed an agreement with Elite Casino Resorts to bring the British-based sportsbook brand to Iowa. Last week, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) approved Betfred as an...
Maximum Security Looks to Regain Winning Stride Saturday in $1M Haskell Invitational
UPDATE (7/20 - 2 pm ET): Monmouth Park officials announced earlier this afternoon that the Haskell Invitational will now run at 8:05 pm ET tonight. The track ran its first two races of the day, then announced it would cancel all non-stakes...
‘Freak’ Accident During Del Mar Training Session Results in Two Horse Deaths
Two horses died in what horsemen and an animal advocate called a “freak” accident at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Thursday in southern California. The incident, which happened the day after the San Diego County track opened its summer meet, comes as...
Allegations of La Liga Match Fixing Prompt Spanish Authorities to Create National Commission
Spanish authorities announced this week the creation of a commission that will work to stop match-fixing in the European nation’s sporting events. Created by presidential order, the commission will include representatives from the country’s gaming regulatory panel, national law enforcement, and the...
William Hill Announces Additional Sportsbook Sites for Iowa as State Gaming Officials Push to Launch in August
William Hill announced on Tuesday it will serve as the sportsbook for two more casinos in Iowa as state officials work to pass regulations that will allow casinos to offer sports betting. In a statement, the bookmaker said it will extend its...
‘Pain in the Butt’ Remark About West Virginia Sports Betting Taken Out of Context According to Lottery Official
While the head of the West Virginia Lottery was quoted over the weekend as calling sports betting a “pain in the butt,” a spokesman for the state agency that oversees it said Executive Director John Myers still supports it being part of...
Sports Betting with a New York State of Mind Scheduled to Start Tuesday
And New York will make 10. The Empire State is set to officially join the legal sports betting fraternity when the Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady takes its first bets on Tuesday. The grand opening comes five weeks after the New...
Judge Denies Injunction Request by Casinos Against Pennsylvania Lottery Over Online Games
The Pennsylvania Lottery scored a big win in the courts last Friday when a state judge refused to grant a temporary injunction on its online games sought by seven casinos in the state. Initially, the casinos wanted all of the lottery’s online...
