Law and Politics

Medina Spirit takes it all in Derby week last April. The late Derby champion will get a steward's hearing with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission regarding his Derby win Feb. 7. (Image: Pat McDonogh/Courier-Journal)

Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby Hearing Scheduled for Feb. 7

During his testimony in the ongoing hearing regarding his eligibility to run at New York Racing Association tracks, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Thursday that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has scheduled a Feb. 7 hearing involving Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. Baffert testified for three hours during the fourth day […]

Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela tries to block Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, who would make NBA history as the youngest pro to notch a triple-double. (Image: Suzanne Greenberg)

North Carolina Sports Betting Bill Likely to See Debate in 2022

Lawmakers will probably turn their attention to a North Carolina sports betting bill this year that couldn’t cross the finish line in 2021. Rep. Jon Hardister, R-Gulliford, one of the sponsors of Senate Bill 688, said recently he believes the legislation has enough bipartisan support to pass the state’s Legislature. […]

Bob Baffert's suit to toss out a NYRA suspension hearing was thrown out Friday. His pre-suspension hearing from NYRA begins Monday. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Judge Tosses Baffert Suit Against NYRA, Suspension Hearing Forthcoming

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s lawsuit against the New York Racing Association was dismissed Friday, clearing the way for his pre-suspension hearing from the organization to go forward. Judge Carol Bagley Amon of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York threw out Baffert’s attempt to […]

WinStar World Casino is among the gambling destinations that may open sportsbooks in the future if a Oklahoma sports betting bill passes this year. (Image: Dallas Morning News)

Oklahoma Sports Betting Bill Filed

The Oklahoma Legislature will consider a bill this year that would authorize in-person sports wagering in the state. Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, filed House Bill 3008, which could permit sportsbooks in tribal casinos in Oklahoma, with federal approval. The legislation doesn’t broach the issue of online wagers. “I have […]

Alabama's Wind Creek casino could offer sports betting if legislation passes this year that would authorize new casinos and sports betting across the state. (Image: Montgomery Advertiser)

Sports Betting Bill Likely in Alabama in 2022

Alabama lawmakers will take another crack at passing sports betting legislation this year. Last year, legislators attempted to pass a wide-ranging bill that would have authorized not only sports wagers, but also a lottery and casinos. It didn’t make it through the House before the end of the session. Pushing […]

The United States Anti-Doping Agency couldn't reach an agreement to provide drug testing and enforcement for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. The two sides suspended negotiations Thursday, putting a key element of HISA into flux. (Image: USADA)

HISA, USADA Fail to Reach Agreement on Drug Testing, Enforcement

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) announced Thursday that it suspended talks with the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to help enforce HISA’s Anti-Doping and Medication Control program. The two entities broke off negotiations on Thursday after failing to reach terms on an agreement. The USADA was seen as an […]

California Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) called for the California Horse Racing Board to exhibit transparency in its investigation of Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit's sudden death. (Image: Jay Calderon/Desert Sun)

California Senator Feinstein Calls Out CHRB on Medina Spirit Investigation

California Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, one of the Senate co-sponsors of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 and a frequent critic of horse racing, wrote a letter to the California Horse Racing Board seeking transparency in the sudden death of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. In the […]

Jockey John Velazquez aboard Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit, with owner Amr Zedan (far left), trainer Bob Baffert (yellow tie) and the rest of the horse's connections. Zedan and Baffert's attorneys issueed a statement maintaining the horse's positive drug test was due to an ointment. (Image: Jamie Newell/TwinSpires)

Baffert Attorneys: Test Proves Cream Caused Medina Spirit’s Positive Test

The attorneys for Medina Spirit’s owner and trainer, Amr Zedan and Bob Baffert, issued statements late Friday claiming that tests performed by a New York laboratory confirmed their position that the Kentucky Derby winner’s positive test for the corticosteroid betamethasone came from the ointment Otomax and not an injection. Baffert’s […]

Macau casinos (Image: Chris McGrath/Getty)

Junket Operator’s Arrest Drives Macau Casino Stocks Down

Macau casino stocks tanked this week after the arrest of 11 junket operators. Alvin Chau, Suncity Group Holdings’ CEO, was among those detained. The region’s casino stocks were already struggling due to new virus concerns, but the specter of more regulatory crackdowns pushed them lower still. During the ’08-’09 financial […]

Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United FC is one of the Premiere league clubs Jarrod Bowen celebrates scoring their first goal with Vladimir Coufal.  (Image: Glyn Kirk/Reuters)

UK May Ban Gambling Ads on Jerseys Just as US Introduces Them

The UK is considering a ban on gambling company ads on the front of Premier League soccer jerseys. Meanwhile, Caesars Entertainment just announced it would advertise its sportsbook on the front of the Washington Capital’s NHL jerseys. The news highlights the countries’ contrasting sports betting history. Bookmakers have been legal […]

Overall, Wynn's Q4 earnings were down XX%, but Strip casinos (Image: John Locher/AP)

Casino Stocks Crash as Macau Considers Tighter Regulations

Shares of casino stocks tanked on Tuesday after Macau announced it will revise its gambling regulations. In just one day, casino companies operating in the world’s largest gambling center lost roughly $18 billion in stock value. On Tuesday, Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance announced a 45-day consultation period for […]

A proposal merging fantasy sports and pari-mutuel wagering could be the first step toward sports wagering in the Golden State. (Image: Ethan Miller/Getty)

Sports Betting Bill Passes North Carolina Senate

The North Carolina House of Representatives now holds the future of sports betting in the state in its hands. Months after it was introduced, Senate Bill 688 passed the state Senate last week and was sent to the House. That legislation was read for the first time in the House […]

On May 14, 1967 Joe Pepitone loaned Mickey Mantle his bat. Mantle clocked  his 500th homerun with the bat. A lawsuit may finally dtermine the bat's true owner. (Image: Baseball Hall of Fame)

Mickey Mantle’s Hall of Fame Bat Sparks Lawsuit

The bat Mickey Mantle used to launch his 500th home run has been in the Baseball Hall of Fame for decades, but a recent lawsuit filed by Joe Pepitone claims he’s the bat’s rightful owner. Granted, the bat does have his name on it. The dispute over the bat’s ownership […]

Carolina Panthers kicker Joey Slye is leading the NFL in kicking through four weeks. (Image: Mary Holt/Getty)

North Carolina Sports Betting Bill Clears Next Hurdle

Legislation that would permit sports betting both online and in professional sports venues in North Carolina passed a second state Senate committee this week. Senate Bill 688 cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, which heard the legislation because of its prohibition on underage betting and forbidding of betting collusion. […]

RB Christian McCaffrey leads the Carolina Panthers onto the field in a game in Charlotte, NC. (Image: Grant Halverson/Getty)

North Carolina Sports Betting Legislation Clears Committee Hurdle

The possibility of statewide sports betting in North Carolina received a boost this week when a legislative bill passed a Senate committee after months of delays. Senate Bill 688, sponsored by Sen. Jim Perry, R-Lenoir County, passed the state Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday following debate of the issue. Sports […]

Gov. Ned Lamont signed a Connecticut sports betting bill into law on Thursday, ending a contentious years-long process. (Image: Connecticut Governor’s Office)

Connecticut Seeks Sports Betting by Football Season

Connecticut sports betting is coming into form, with the two biggest players in the American industry partnering with the state’s two Native American casinos. DraftKings will partner with Foxwoods Resort Casino and FanDuel will partner with Mohegan Sun to operate both brick-and-mortar and online sportsbooks. Industry leaders enter Connecticut sports […]

After former Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Noel resigned last month, the state is scrambling to get sports betting rules established for football season. (Image: Gaming Americas)

Loss of Gaming Chairman Delays Louisiana Sports Betting

Due to a staffing issue at the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the state’s sports bettors may have to wait until after football season begins before placing wagers. The Louisiana Legislature and state voters legalized sports betting last year, and advocates hoped that wagers could begin by the kickoff of college […]