Gregory Lamb, an auditor with the Colorado Division of Racing for the past 18 years, has been hired as supervisor of pari-mutuel wagering for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Monday, November 30, 2009The state of Georgia may be in for some changes in the coming months as horse enthusiasts try to convince lawmakers that building a racetrack is vital to both the struggling breeding industry and the economy as a whole.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Churchill Downs Inc., which announced Nov. 11 plans to purchase Youbet.com and its United Tote subsidiary for about $126.8 million, is on the lookout for other prospective purchases in the area of Internet wagering.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Garrett Gomez is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the new Breeders' Cup Jockey Bet Nov. 6-7 at Santa Anita Park. The line was set based on mounts the jockeys have in the 14 World Championships events.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009Aside from the issue of when to close betting pools, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is debating a recommendation that racetracks made good on winning wagers that aren't merged into pools.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009A controversial recommendation to halt wagering at zero minutes to post time at all racetracks was shelved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Oct. 27 pending a public meeting at which the issue will be further vetted.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009Advanced Monitoring Systems, selected by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board to provide independent wagering oversight, announced Oct. 19 it has deals in place with the three tote companies that service New York betting outlets.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009In the opinion of a few of horse racing's customers, the sport has the best "video game" available but fails to capitalize on it.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009If the horseracing industry fails to make voluntary changes it has resisted for decades, the only things that may save it from doom are involuntary changes brought on by forces in the gambling and entertainment marketplace, officials said Oct. 13.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009Officials assembled for the International Simulcast Conference said Oct. 12 public perception, not integrity, is the primary problem for the industry's wagering systems.
Monday, October 12, 2009This year's International Simulcast Conference will include a panel devoted to patrons' perspective on horse racing and wagering.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009The Thoroughbred Racing Associations board of directors has adopted a protocol establishing industry-wide standards pertaining to the display of accurate "off time" for the start of the race.
Thursday, September 03, 2009Canterbury Park Holding Corp. reported a net loss of $173,099 for the second quarter of 2009 but said reduced costs and improved operating efficiencies should help moving forward.
Thursday, August 13, 2009Federal legislation that would regulate online poker and games of skill protects pari-mutuel horse racing under the Interstate Horseracing Act and includes various tax breaks sought by the racing industry, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association said Aug. 7.
Friday, August 07, 2009Nassau Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. has filed a $15-million lawsuit against the New York Racing Association in response to NYRA's claim that Nassau Regional OTB had pirated its signal.
Thursday, June 11, 2009Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course said it will make good on a pick three result that was calculated in error June 5 because of a breakdown in tote communications before post time of the second race in the sequence.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009Another tote communication glitch led officials at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course to start closing pari-mutuel pools when the first horse enters the starting gate, effective June 6.
Saturday, June 06, 2009Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course refunded more than $150,000 in wagers after a communications router failure at its main wagering hub went down, leaving the second race May 20 open for betting after off time.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Wagering was up on several segments of the Preakness day card, according to data released May 18 by Maryland Jockey Club officials, fueled in part by the showdown between Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) victress Rachel Alexandra.
Monday, May 18, 2009A bill that would end a ban on wagering online in the United States was introduced May 6 by Democratic Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Simmering concerns over wagering security in the pari-mutuel industry flared up again April 21 with a strong call for independent monitoring and an end to the practice of "past-posting" -- making bets after races begin.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009Youbet.com has signed three agreements that will enable its members to watch and wager on racing from South Africa, Sweden, additional tracks in the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico, providing nearly 24-hour-a-day racing coverage.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Hialeah Park received a Quarter Horse permit from the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering on March 17, with an apparent mandate to begin that racing by March 17, 2010.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A 187-page bill that passed the Kentucky Senate March 13 includes provisions for a tax break for the Breeders' Cup World Championships if the event is held in Kentucky in 2011 or 2012, or 2011 and 2012.
Monday, March 16, 2009The Thoroughbred Racing Associations has announced Saratoga Springs, N.Y., as the host city for the 18th International Simulcast Conference. The 2009 conference will be held Oct. 12-14 at the Saratoga Hilton.
Friday, February 27, 2009The Thoroughbred Racing Associations board of directors has adopted a protocol that establishes industry-wide procedures for tracks to follow in case betting fails to close promptly at the start of a race -- something commonly referred to as "past-posting."
Friday, February 06, 2009
Hawthorne Race Course in Illinois registered gains in average daily total handle for its 2008-09 fall/winter meet thanks to increases in out-of-state wagering. On-track and in-state handle on Hawthorne races declined, however.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009The Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 is a double-edge sword. And the debate over whether it should be amended continues.
Friday, December 12, 2008The Bush administration issued a final regulation Nov. 12 aimed at banning Internet gambling, drawing criticism from Democrats who said it would burden financial companies.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Colonial Downs may be looking for a manager to operate its live Thoroughbred and harness meet after releasing general manager Iain Woolnough Nov. 10. It also closed one of its nine off-track betting parlors in Virginia.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Handle at Calder Race Course's recently-concluded Calder meet fell 20% compared with 2007, according to the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.
Monday, November 03, 2008The Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, which represents owners and trainers at Arlington Park and Hawthorne Race Course, and the Oregon Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, comprised of horsemen competing at Portland Meadows, have voted to join the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group.
Monday, October 13, 2008Support for reform of the revenue model for advance deposit wagering continues to increase, but as evidenced Sept. 30 during the International Simulcast Conference, it's looking more and more like a long-term project.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008Prominent Thoroughbred Owner Mace Siegel, vice president of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, has given $100,000 to support the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group and its efforts to protect live horse racing.
Friday, September 26, 2008
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has approved an innovative new wager between Churchill Downs and racetracks in other states.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Mike Ziegler, most recently vice president and assistant general manager at Hollywood Park, has been named senior vice president of California-based Youbet.com, the company announced Sept. 16.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008Michael Konik, author of The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions, will address the subject of programmed wagering and offshore booking Sept. 29, first day of the International Simulcast Conference in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Friday, September 12, 2008Regulators in 13 racing states announced Aug. 4 they will begin the lengthy process of requiring offshore wagering entities and secondary pari-mutuel operations -- commonly referred to as SPMOs -- to obtain certification from the Association of Racing Commissioners International before they receive approval to wager into pools.
Monday, August 04, 2008Legislation that would eliminate the automatic 25% federal withholding on pari-mutuel winnings of $5,000 or more on wagers of at least 300-1 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives July 29.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008Betfair, the Great Britain-based online betting exchange, continues to negotiate with officials in the United States and is inching closer to a deal by which it would compensate horsemen for use of their product.
Saturday, July 19, 2008Gambling sources provide more than $25.4 billion to state and local governments, according to most recent figures, but taxes on pari-mutuel wagering provided just a little more than 1% of that total.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Negotiators in New York the afternoon of June 13 were putting the final touches on legislation in which the state would take control of the New York City Off-Track Betting Corp., thereby averting a shutdown of the city's betting operations for the weekend.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Churchill Downs will begin testing a new wagering format with on-track customers June 11 that allows patrons to bundle win, exacta, and trifecta plays at a lower price per bet.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
With the clock ticking on the closure of the New York City Off-Track Betting Corp., officials from the Bloomberg administration are stepping up their calls for industry stakeholders to compromise on a bill or face the loss of more than $100 million in OTB distributions.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
The Southern Racing Cooperative has a new multi-year deal with the New York Racing Association on signal rates, a cooperative official said.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Calder Race Course and all other Florida tracks are facing the prospect of not receiving the signal for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and its Pimlico Race Course undercard.
Monday, May 12, 2008
The New York Racing Association and the Mid-Atlantic Cooperative have struck a signal-fee deal that will return the NYRA signal--currently from Belmont Park--to 16 East Coast racetracks and their affiliated off-track wagering outlets effective May 9.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Declines in on-track wagering, a dispute with the New York Racing Association over signal fees, and horsemen's refusal to allow six major advance deposit wagering outlets to take its signal has led River Downs to cut purses 15%-18% effective May 8.
Friday, May 02, 2008Because of the dispute over simulcast fees and revenue, Calder Race Course will not offer wagering on the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), as well as all other races on the two programs.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Another group of racetracks won't be importing the signal from Belmont Park beginning April 30 because they collectively have failed to strike a deal on signal rates with the New York Racing Association.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008