Starting Friday, the OC Tavern in San Clemente, Calif., opens as the state’s first satellite wagering facility in a sports bar. Legislation permitting an expansion of satellites into card clubs and sports bars was passed in 2007 but has been implemented at only one location so far – the Commerce Casino card club, south of Los Angeles, in July 2009.
Betfair, the British-based exchange wagering company that owns Television Games Network, had net income of $10.7 million in the six months ended Oct. 31, a $1.6 million decline from the net profit the company posted in the comparable period last year, according to financial statements released by Betfair on Tuesday.
A significantly smaller North American racing industry with half as many major racetracks and twice the average purse per race would make racing profitable for both racetrack operators and horse owners by 2020, Robert Evans, the chief executive of Churchill Downs, said during the opening presentation on Tuesday at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program Symposium on Racing and Gaming in Tucson.
The New York Racing Association claims it would go out of business if a bill proposed by the State Senate designed to help New York’s troubled Off-Track Betting network becomes law.
Wagering on U.S. races continued to drop in November despite a boost from strong Breeders’ Cup figures, according to figures released by Equibase on Saturday.
The New York legislature goes into special session today under a request by Gov. David Paterson to pass legislation that would enable New York City Off Track Betting Corp. to implement several controversial measures as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. Officials of Paterson’s office and at New York City OTB warned over the weekend that a failure to pass the legislation could lead to a complete shutdown of New York City OTB by mid-December.
New York has reached an agreement to allow a Wisconsin Native American tribe to open the state's first full-blown casino, in the Catskill mountains approximately 100 miles north of New York City and several miles from an existing racetrack casino at Monticello Raceway.
An increase in mount fees for jockeys riding in New Mexico will take effect with the Sunland Park meet that opens on Dec. 10.
Mike Repole, the owner of undefeated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Uncle Mo, has donated $50,000 of the colt’s earnings to five organizations that care for retired racehorses.
An arraignment for Sean Alfortish, the president of the Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, and Mona Romero, the organization’s executive director, has been set for Dec. 2 after a federal grand jury on Thursday returned a 29-count indictment against them that included a charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
