A racing-office software tool allowing tracks to project handle based on the post times of their races is ready to be released to U.S. racetracks, the developer of the tool, The Jockey Club, said on Friday.

The New Jersey Racing Commission on Wednesday passed rules designed to jump-start the development of new offtrack betting parlors in the state, according to the commission’s executive director, Frank Zanzuccki.

Rights to open OTB parlors are currently divvied up among racetrack license-holders in the state, which together have opened just four OTBs despite having licenses for 15. The lack of OTB locations in the state has been criticized by some members of the state racing industry.

A third and perhaps a fourth bidder have emerged for the sole casino license in the Boston area that is being sought by a partnership that includes Suffolk Downs.

By a late-afternoon deadline on Tuesday, the Suffolk Downs partnership, which includes Caesars Entertainment, had been joined by Wynn Resorts and a partnership of Crossroads and Warner Gaming in submitting a $400,000 filing fee and application to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission explicitly seeking the Boston-area license.

Duncan Patterson, the chairman of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, has been named chairman of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, replacing John Sabini, who resigned the position last week.

Patterson is a longtime member of the Delaware racing commission who is also a former Thoroughbred trainer. He will serve as chairman of the RCI though the spring of 2014, the RCI said.

Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan on Thursday declined to sign legislation that would have enabled the state’s racetracks to install Instant Racing machines, killing the bill by pocket veto.

Snyder cited a constitutional amendment enacted in 2004 requiring voter approval on local and state levels to authorize new forms of gaming, excluding tribal and state-run casinos, as the reason for not signing the bill into law. The bill officially expired on Friday morning.

The Kentucky Supreme Court agreed on Friday to review a lower-court ruling issued in 2012 that cast doubt on the legality of the operation of so-called Instant Racing machines at state racetracks.

The Illinois legislature adjourned Tuesday night without renewing legislation that would permit account wagering in the state.

Tuesday was the final day of a legislative lame-duck session. A new legislature was sworn in Wednesday, and it’s uncertain when lawmakers will next address account wagering, or advance deposit wagering.

John Sabini will resign his post as chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board effective Friday, a spokesman for the board confirmed Wednesday.

The news, first reported Tuesday by the Albany Times Union, comes three weeks before the NYSRWB is to be merged with and work under a new state gaming commission. The three-member NYSRWB will be replaced by a seven-member board with an unsalaried chairman. As chairman, Sabini earned $120,800 annually, according to the Times Union.

Betting on U.S. Thoroughbred races was up 1 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, the first increase in wagering since 2006, according to figures released on Saturday by Equibase.

Handle on U.S. races in 2012 was $10.87 billion, according to the figures, up slightly from $10.77 billion in 2011. Though the jump reversed five years of declines, handle on U.S. Thoroughbred races remains well below the highwater mark of $15.18 billion, set in 2003. Handle statistics are not adjusted for inflation.

Wise Dan, who completed his 2012 campaign with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, emerged as the favorite to be named Horse of the Year when finalists for all 17 Eclipse Award divisions were announced on Saturday by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which co-sponsors the awards along with Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association.