The Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association has signed 10-year racing agreements with the under-construction Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course and ThistleDown Racino, formerly known as Thistledown.
Penn National Gaming Inc. and the Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association have reached an agreement in regard to the under-construction Youngstown-area racetrack that will replace Beulah Park.
Total on-site pari-mutuel wagering at Delaware Park in 2013 totaled $149.2 million, down 4.1% from $155.5 million in 2012, according to the annual report released Feb. 6 by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission.
Racing stakeholders and government officials Feb. 4 publicly stated their opposition to legislation that would shift 15% of video lottery and table games revenue to fund other programs in West Virginia.
It appears rather than having one percentage for the amount of revenue that goes to purses from video lottery terminals, Ohio could have a different number for each of its seven racetracks.
Construction of a new racetrack gaming facility in the Mahoning Valley is well under way, but the track's owner and the Ohio State Racing Commission continued a battle over a commitment on the number of stalls Jan. 23.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races plans to ask state regulators Jan. 21 for approval to spend almost $200,000 for surveillance equipment for its stable area.
MGM Resorts International has won a three-way race for a license to build a resort casino in Prince George's County, Md., just south of Washington, D.C. And the future of a racetrack remains up in the air.
With a deadline fast approaching, Ohio racetracks and horsemen's groups indicated Dec. 19 they are close to having definite deals on the percentage of video lottery terminal revenue that will go to purses.
A New Jersey Senate committee Dec. 9 approved legislation that would authorize historical race wagering, also known as Instant Racing, at the state's racetracks, off-track wagering parlors, and casino race books.
The New York Racing Association is finalizing a "fresh look" budget for 2014 that will hike fees imposed on simulcast partners and raise prices for racetrack admission and parking while cutting a number of expenses.
Time is running out for Ohio racetracks and horsemen's groups to agree on the percentage of video lottery terminal revenue that will go to purses and breed development programs.
Officials with Belterra Park's parent company said they want the rebuilt facility to not only be the premier racetrack in Ohio, but in the surrounding area.
The New York Racing Association reported net income of $8.2 million for the first six months of 2013, up 2% from the same period in 2012 because of an increase in video lottery terminal revenue and a decrease in expenses.
The Ohio Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments on whether a public policy group that had filed suit over the 2011 law that authorized video lottery terminals at Ohio racetracks has standing to appeal.
The lack of an agreement on a revenue split from video lottery terminals continues to keep the signal from ThistleDown Racino from being exported outside of Ohio.
The West Virginia Racing Commission June 18 unanimously approved an "interagency agreement" that will allow it to request assistance from the West Virginia Lottery Commission.
The Ohio Roundtable said June 21 it will not file a memorandum in reply to the state's request that the Ohio Supreme Court not hear the public policy group's appeal of a lower court ruling that rejected its challenge to VLTs.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan to create gambling competition for racetrack-based casinos was a topic of an hour-long, closed-door meeting June 18 with legislative leaders trying to end the 2013 legislative session.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is playing a new game of hardball with racetrack-based casinos in New York by sending them a simple message: get on board with his plan or face additional competition from facilities located nearby.
A New Jersey lawmaker has introduced a bill to authorize historical race wagering, also called Instant Racing, at racetracks, off-track wagering facilities, and casinos in the state.
Ohio's two operating racetrack casinos reported revenue increases in May when compared with the previous month, according to Ohio Lottery Commission documents.
The Ohio Attorney General's Office May 28 asked the state Supreme Court to reject an appeal filed by a public policy group that is challenging the constitutionality of a 2011 law that authorized VLTs at racetracks.
A request for authorization for an economic study on Thoroughbred and Greyhound racing and breeding in West Virginia shed light on the friction between the racing and gaming sectors in the state.
The Ohio Attorney General's office has asked the state Supreme Court not to hear an appeal by a public policy group challenging the 2011 law authorizing video lottery terminals at racetracks.
The Maryland Jockey Club expects to begin construction on new barns at Laurel Park this year as part of a long-term capital improvement plan, but it is holding off on announcing details of renovations at Pimlico Race Course.
Penn National Gaming Inc. has submitted a formal proposal to build a $700 million casino and resort on the grounds of Rosecroft Raceway, a harness track located just south of Washington, D.C., in Prince George's County, Md.
With strong assistance from its video lottery terminal operation at Scioto Downs in Ohio, MTR Gaming Group greatly reduced its net loss for the first quarter of 2013 compared with the same period in 2012.
Several of New York's racetrack gaming facilities would be first in line for full-scale casinos under legislation being finalized by Senate Republicans in the state legislature.
The New York Gaming Association April 29 released a report that shows its nine racetrack-based casino facilities generated $1.8 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2012 and turned over $823 million in taxes to the state.
The Ohio State Racing Commission April 16 once again deferred action on a proposal to transfer the River Downs meet to Beulah Park because horsemen and Penn National Gaming Inc. have no contract for the meet.
The Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association has informed Thistledown it won't grant the track approval to export its signal when live racing begins April 19 because it has no deal with horsemen on VLT revenue.
As the first Thoroughbred track in Ohio prepares to open its video lottery terminal facility, purses are up. But some longtime horsemen in the state are on a waiting list for stalls.
Republican Gov. John Kasich April 1 signed into law a transportation bill that includes an amendment that would facilitate transfer of the 2013 River Downs race meet to Beulah Park.
A plan to shift the 2013 River Downs meet to Beulah Park remains on hold, and developers of new racetrack gaming facilities in Ohio were told to go back to the drawing board in terms of indoor seating for racing patrons.
Legislation creating the Kansas Agriculture Opportunity Act would lower the tax rate on electronic gaming machines in an effort to get racetracks to install them, and also increase the amount of revenue for purses.
Companies that plan to construct new racetrack gaming facilities in Ohio have been summoned to appear before the Ohio State Racing Commission for a third time March 27.
MTR Gaming Group reported a 14.5% improvement in revenue in 2012 despite an increase in competition from other casinos, the company reported March 7 in its latest earnings report.
Legislation introduced in the West Virginia Senate March 6 calls for several statutory changes regarding racing, including a substantial reduction in the minimum number of dates a track must schedule each year.
A Texas lawmaker has introduced legislation that would authorize a constitutional amendment on video lottery terminals at racetracks and at tribal facilities.
The Kentucky House Feb. 27 passed legislation that in part would take revenue from historical race wagering to fund pensions for state workers, but one lawmaker questioned the bill's impact on the horse industry.
The Delaware Lottery has issued a request for proposal for its planned Internet gaming system, and the racing industry is negotiating a revenue split with the state and racetrack casinos.
Finger Lakes Casino & Racetrack has started construction on a $12 million expansion of its video lottery terminal facility.
Penn National Gaming Inc., which has a host of projects in the works, is taking a cautious approach to 2013 in the wake of a "soft" fourth quarter in 2012, company officials said Jan. 31 during an earnings teleconference.
The New York Senate's top Republican wants Belmont Park to be included in the list of possible casino expansion locations.
Overnight purses will increase 10% when Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort begins its almost 10-month racing season March 1.
New York Racing Association President and COO Ellen McClain announced Jan. 25 that she is resigning from her role, and board leaders said they would immediately begin a national search to find a replacement.
The New York legislature's most powerful Democrat said Jan. 24 he would be open to further casino development at Aqueduct Racetrack, as well as several other specific locations in New York City except for Manhattan.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to dip into purse accounts to take $1.5 million to $2 million per year for equine safety programs at the state's racetracks.
The Ohio Roundtable, an anti-gambling organization, asked the Franklin County Court of Appeals Jan. 17 to reject a decision by the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, which last year dismissed a lawsuit challenging VLTs.
