1979 stories by Steve Bittenbender
Michigan Rolls Out Mobile Sports Betting, iGaming in a Very Big Way
In an online gaming equivalent of a land rush, 10 licensed operators launched mobile sports betting and/or iGaming apps Friday in Michigan. It’s a move that should make the Midwestern state one of the country’s top gaming states in quick fashion. The...
HHR Opponents Want Parlors Shut Down After Kentucky Supreme Court Declines Rehearing
The Kentucky Supreme Court on Thursday announced it would not revisit an opinion it gave last fall that select historical horse racing (HHR) machines did not meet the definition of pari-mutuel betting. That decision leaves one of the state’s signature industries at...
Indiana, Pokagon Tribe Reach Agreement on Class III Compact for South Bend Casino
Indiana’s lone tribal casino is one step closer to being able to offer sports betting and other Class III games. Late Thursday afternoon, Gov. Eric Holcomb and Matthew Wesaw, chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians announced the two sides concluded...
Billy Walters ‘Extremely Grateful’ for Trump Clemency, Still Pursuing Civil Case
In a statement released Wednesday, retired professional gambler Billy Walters said he was thankful President Trump commuted his five-year sentence on an insider trading conviction. But he also plans to proceed with a civil lawsuit against those who prosecuted and investigated his...
Rod Ratcliff Sues Indiana Gaming Commission in Response to License Suspension
Spectacle Entertainment founder and former CEO Rod Ratcliff has filed a lawsuit against the Indiana Gaming Commission. The move comes nearly a month after the state regulatory agency suspended his license as part of an ongoing investigation into the Indianapolis-based gaming company....
Appeals Court Sides With New Hampshire Lottery on Wire Act Opinion Ruling
On the day the Trump Administration ended, its efforts to redefine the Wire Act likely came to an end as well. That's after a federal appellate court issued a ruling Wednesday morning. The US First Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion...
During Final Hours as President, Trump Commutes Insider Trading Sentence for Billy Walters
President Trump on Tuesday evening, his last in office, commuted the insider trading sentence of noted Las Vegas gambler Billy Walters, who was convicted on insider trading charges almost four years ago. A federal jury convicted Walters in 2017 and sentenced him...
More Than COVID Keeping Mega Millions and Powerball Jackpots From Getting Bigger
On Wednesday, Powerball holds its 36th drawing since the multi-state lottery produced a jackpot winner. That four-month span, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association that operates the game, represents its longest dry spell ever. Yet, while Wednesday’s estimated $730 million jackpot is...
Pact Bolsters California Racing Purses by $15M, Horse Owners Eye Sports Betting for More
California horse racing received a major boost last week after several key stakeholders reached an agreement on a purse enhancement program. The accord between the Thoroughbred Owners of California, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, The Stronach Group’s 1/ST Racing, and TVG means $15...
NY Times Report Indicates John Dowd Pushing Trump to Pardon Billy Walters
The New York Times reported Sunday that as the Trump Administration counts down its final days, a “lucrative market for pardons” has emerged. Lawyers and others connected with President Trump have used that access to cash in and offer their access to...
