President & CEO, American Gaming Association
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Monthly Archives: April 2020
Keeping track
Contact tracing, mass surveillance, and future privacy for I-gaming.
[H]uman behavior changes when we know we’re being watched.
Under observation, we act less free, which means we effectively ARE less free.”
― Edward Snowden
No Parole Sprints to Victory in Oaklawn Allowance
The decision to return No Parole to shorter distances proved to be a good one for owners Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin, as the son of Violence aired in a $61,000 allowance/optional claiming race going six furlongs April 24 at Oaklawn Park.
Magna Grecia, Calyx Join Coolmore's Australian Division
European first-season sires Magna Grecia and Calyx will join The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes as additions to their Australian roster for the 2020 breeding season, Coolmore announced April 24.
Quick Checks Planned to Move Irish Racing to Resumption
Preparations are quickening for a resumption of Irish racing as soon as the green light from government is given, with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board moving to streamline the process of passport inspections on race days.
Kindred Group’s profits plunge on pandemics and penalties
Nordic online gambling operator Kindred Group saw its profits plunge in the first quarter of 2020 as regulatory penalties, restructuring costs and writedowns took their toll.
Figures released Friday by the Stockholm-listed Kindred show the company generated revenue of just under £250m in the three months ending March 31, 11.2% higher than the same period last year. But earnings rose a more modest 6.2% to £32.5m and after-tax profits tumbled to just £1m from £15.1m in Q1 2019.
The profit column suffered a nearly £21m hit from a variety of factors, including allocating funds for the company’s staff cull, a record fine in Sweden’s (over)regulated market and “accelerated amortization of acquired intangible assets.” Investors weren’t bothered, pushing Kindred’s stock price up nearly 11% by the close of Friday’s trading.
Despite the pandemic-forced elimination of most sports events by March – which may be why betting stakes fell nearly 15% year-on-year – Kindred’s sports betting revenue was up 15% to £122.5m. Credit the gains to a gaudy 16.6% margin on pre-game wagers, while the overall margin after free bets was up 2.8 points to 10.7%.
Masks: The new lottery
A new sort of lottery is brewing in Japan. Electronics manufacturer Sharp Corp. has adopted a new method of selling its popular face masks — via a lottery.International, General Interest, Japan, Medical
Texas Lottery sales surge amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
In an announcement on Tuesday afternoon, the Texas Lottery revealed that sales of scratch-off tickets surged to $112 million from the previous week’s sales of $95 million.Texas, Financials, Scratch Games, Sales, Medical
50 Wins at Oaklawn for Meet Leader Diodoro
According to Oaklawn Park publicity, Robertino Diodoro became the fourth trainer in that track’s history with 50 meet victories when Freedom Hill ($7.40) won second race April 23 under defending riding champion David Cohen.
Barker, Kantarmaci Share Aqueduct "Under 20s" Award
The New York Racing Association Inc. announced April 24 that trainers Eddie Barker and Mertkan Kantarmaci finished as co-leaders of the “Under 20’s Claiming Challenge” during the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet.
French Racing to Restart With Four Group Races
The first day of racing in France on May 11 will be a key trials day for top-level events this year.
Derby, Oaks Could be Staged on Same Day at Epsom
The Investec Derby (G1) and Investec Oaks (G1) would be run on the same day in early July as part of plans being drawn up for racing’s return, with Epsom retaining its place as the home of the two major classics.
New U.S. Aid Package Provides Loans to Farms
With a new Economic Injury Disaster Loan program worth $60 billion approved, farms with 500 or fewer employees whose primary activity is breeding horses are now eligible to apply.
Ortiz Jr. Returns to Saddle April 25 at Gulfstream Park
Two-time defending Championship Meet leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is “very excited” to be back riding, named in nine of 12 races April 25 at Gulfstream Park in his return to riding for the first time in more than a month.
Motion Savored Moment When Animal Kingdom Made History
Graham Motion’s journey to the 2011 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with Animal Kingdom was anything but textbook.
Zayats File Motion to Dismiss Against New York Firm
Because a New York bank is suing Zayat family members who live in New Jersey, New York, and Florida, an attorney for the Zayats contends the case does not belong in a Kentucky court.
Arlington Summer Meet Formally Postponed
The Illinois Racing Board April 24 formally approved suspension of Arlington International Racecourse’s summer meeting, originally set to open April 27, with no specific date in sight to get the track up and running.
New U.S. Aid Package Providing Loans to Farms
A new Economic Injury Disaster Loan program worth $60 billion was approved. Farms with 500 or fewer employees whose primary activity is breeding horses are now eligible to apply.
Sweden: limit bets to top football tiers, other sports may follow
Sweden’s gambling regulator wants to restrict its already restrictive rules to prohibit bets on lower-tier football leagues in order to limit match-fixing.
On Friday, Sweden’s Spelinspektionen regulatory body unveiled an update to anti-match-fixing plans issued in January that, among other things, would prohibit Swedish-licensed online betting operators from offering proposition wagers in which individual players could manipulate the outcome, such as penalty kicks, the issuing of yellow cards, etc.
The updated proposal would restrict all football wagers to the country’s top four levels, a step seemingly inspired by widespread media reports this month that players from Swedish amateur football squads had received threats from bettors who had nothing else on which to wager due to the COVID-19 suspensions of most major leagues.
The new restriction would also apply to lower-tier matches in other countries, while betting on friendly or training matches would similarly be off-limits, regardless of what tier those teams occupied.
Zayat Files Motion to Dimiss Against New York Firm
Because a New York bank is suing Zayat family members who live in New Jersey, New York, and Florida, an attorney for the Zayats contends the case does not belong in a Kentucky court.