Based on the results of a 23-day summer meet at Laurel Park that generated positive numbers and response from the local community, the Maryland Jockey Club intends to do so again next year — on some level.
Monthly Archives: August 2015
888 delivers “impressive” H1 result despite $20m in new taxes
UK-listed online gambling operator 888 Holdings says it achieved an “impressive result” in H1 despite nearly $20m in new taxes.
Revenue in the six months ending June 30 slipped 2% to $220m, although revenue would have risen 9% absent the triple whammy of currency exchange rates, $5.1m in new value added tax on the European continent and $14.4m in point-of-consumption tax in the UK. Earnings fell 17% to $49m and profit before tax was down 41% to $20m.
888’s B2C operations reported revenue up 2% to $196m while B2B revenue was off 10% to $29m. 888’s flagship casino vertical improved 1% to $108.7m, despite a rise in the number of jackpots at its proprietary Millionaire Genie game from two to seven during the period.
888’s usually reliable poker product suffered a rare setback, falling 4% to $46.2m despite active player ranks increasing 4% and 2% in Q1 and Q2 respectively. Regardless, 888 exec chairman Brian Mattingley said the poker vertical had “outperformed” in a “highly competitive and challenging market.”
When rosy results were trumped up for the Donald's casinos
Early last decade, corporate America was suffering from a massive accounting crisis. Companies like WorldCom, Sunbeam, Waste Management and many more used shady bookkeeping maneuvers to make their numbers look better than they really were.
So far, so good
Plainridge Park Casino, the state’s first slots parlor, is adding millions of dollars to the local economy and the public treasury. Since its opening in June, Massachusetts residents are flocking to the revamped harness racetrack and dropping dimes, quarters and dollars into its 1,250 slot machines.
YouTube Gaming Launches, But No Poker Streams
YouTube Gaming quietly launched this week to offer gaming nerds the world over another portal where they can post their Call of Duty/Fallout 3/GTA streams, or watch others playing video games. But for online poker players, the rival to live gaming stream site Twitch is missing one key category: a poker streaming channel. YouTube Gaming […]
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Stacy Mitchhart to Conclude TOBA Dinner
The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association announced that Nashville-based singer/songwriter Stacy Mitchhart and his band will perform American blues music at the conclusion of the 30th annual National Awards Dinner.
Bwin.party ekes out small profit despite slide in sports, casino and poker revenue
Online gambling operator Bwin.party digital entertainment eked out a small profit in H1 2015 despite revenue falling across all verticals except bingo.
Total revenue in the six months ending June 30 fell 6.5% to €296.5m but clean earnings rose 2% to €47.3m, resulting in an after-tax profit of €2.9m.
Bwin.party blamed the revenue decline on the lack of a major football tourney like last year’s FIFA World Cup, lower sports margins, a significant decline in poker, plus €5.3m in new value added tax in its top market Germany and €5.1m in point-of-consumption tax in the UK.
Revenue from Bwin.party’s mainstay sports betting vertical fell nearly 13% to €111m, casino was off nearly 5% to €98.4m and poker tumbled 23% to €34m, while bingo was up less than 1% to €27m as increased TV marketing boosted signups by 27%.
Swagger Jack Moves to Dana Point
Swagger Jack, a grade I-winning son of leading sire Smart Strike, has relocated to Dana Point Farm near Lenhartsville, Pa., for the 2016 breeding season. His fee will be $3,500.
Seth Hancock Named Keeneland Trustee
Seth W. Hancock, longtime member of the Keeneland board of directors, was appointed a Keeneland trustee, effective Aug. 25 upon the retirement of current Keeneland trustee Louis Lee Haggin III.
Large Crowd Watches American Pharoah Gallop
On a glorious morning at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 28, an estimated crowd of 15,000 flocked to the track to watch Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in his final gallop before his bid in the $1.6 million Travers Stakes.
More Than Just a Name for Run for Retts
“She’s running for Rett Syndrome. She’s running for my girls and our family. She’s going to do amazing things. Nobody can tell me any different. She’s the underdog and so are our girls.”
Illinois lottery winners have to wait for payout due to budget impasse
After years of struggling financially, Susan Rick thought things were looking up when her boyfriend won $250,000 from the Illinois Lottery last month. She could stop working seven days a week, maybe fix up the house and take a trip to Minnesota to visit her daughter.
2 rescued from The Venetian hotel-casino's canal
A spokesman for The Venetian Las Vegas says two men found unresponsive in the resort-casino’s gondola ride canal earlier this week are no longer in critical condition. Las Vegas Sands Corp. spokesman Ron Reese said Thursday that the casino’s security guards had kicked the pair off the property before and they had been known to hang out in front of The Venetian on a regular basis.
First Winner for Desert Key
Desert Key, a grade I-placed son of E Dubai, was represented by his first winner Aug. 27 when Gospel Grey Key won the second race at Remington Park.
Champion Divine Fortune Dies After Fall
Divine Fortune, the 12-year-old champion steeplechaser of 2013, was euthanized Aug. 27 as a result of injuries sustained when he fell during the New York Turf Writers Cup at Saratoga Race Course.
Glen Hill Farm to Sponsor One Dreamer Stakes
On a race card organized to promote equine research, Glen Hill Farm will salute one of its top winners by sponsoring the $150,000 One Dreamer Stakes Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs.
South Korea short-lists nine casino license bidders
Nine sites have been chosen to proceed to the next level of the bidding process for the remaining two licences to develop and run an integrated casino and resort in South Korea.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on Wednesday that it will accept requests for proposal (RFP) for nine sites including Ung-dong in Jinhae Free Economic Zone of Gyeongsangnam-do, a redevelopment area in Busan North Port, Yeosu Gyeongdo Tourism Complex in Jeollanam and six sites in the free economic zone within Incheon.
The ministry received 34 requests for concept from Feb. 27 to June 30 period. The eager wannabes are said to include Las Vegas Sands, Genting group, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Grand Korea Leisure, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Cambodia’s NagaCorp, leading junket operator SunCity Group, Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun, Saipan’s Imperial Pacific International Holdings and Bill Weidner’s Global Gaming Asset Management.
The nine sites have until Nov. 27 to submit their respective proposals, which require a minimum investment of more than 1 trillion won ($847.46m), foreign investment of more than $500m (590 billion won), and certain levels of credit ratings in order to confirm competitive investment demands.
Lottery scam prompts police warning
Twenty-four hours later, and the identity of a pregnant mother who had a close call with a lightning strike is still a mystery. Twenty-four hours later, and the identity of a pregnant mother who had a close call with a lightning strike is still a mystery.
Smart Strike Stallion Sons
30 years after Tasso became the first grade I winner sired by a son of Mr. Prospector, another son of Mr. Prospector, Smart Strike, is emerging as a sire of sires.
Million-Dollar Powerball Ticket Sold In Philly
The Pennsylvania Lottery says there’s a Powerball ticket out there worth one-million-dollars. The ticket for last night’s drawing was sold at a market in South Philadelphia.