Reporter:
Steve Bittenbender covers Midwest and Gulport news for Casino.org. He also specializes in sports betting and horse racing. Steve is a veteran reporter and brings more than two decades of experience covering sports, business and politics. He joined Casino.org in 2019.
Steve has also covered major collegiate and professional sports for the Associated Press and the Louisville Courier-Journal and is frequently featured on local network TV newscasts and podcasts for his horse racing business and legislative expertise. A Reuters contributor, he has also previously served as editor for Government Security News.
Steve lives in Louisville, Kentucky -- the epicenter of the US horse racing industry -- with his wife and son. He is also an avid poker player, having learned from his uncle as a wholesome after-school pastime with cookies and milk.
Contact Steve at [email protected].
Areas of Expertise
1982 stories by Steve Bittenbender
Kentucky Sports Betting’s Passage Due to Stivers’ Vote, GOP Floor Leader Thayer Says
After the Kentucky General Assembly ended its 2023 session on March 30, proponents for the sports betting legalization bill that passed gathered for a celebration at Serafini, an Italian restaurant in Downtown Frankfort. It was a bipartisan celebration, said state Rep. Michael...
Kentucky Officials Hopeful for Early Sports Betting Launch, Commit to Do It Right
Now that Kentucky has legalized sports betting, the question on everyone’s mind now shifts from when will it pass to when will it launch? House Bill 551, which Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed into law hours after the Senate passed it on...
Road to the Kentucky Derby: Forte Remains Solid Favorite as Field Solidifies
We’re now four weeks away from the Kentucky Derby, and with the final three major prep races occurring Saturday, we now have a fairly clear picture of who will be running for the roses on May 6. Despite exciting wins by a...
Jason Harris to Run for Catawba Chief, Provides Update on Two Kings Casino
UPDATE (4/7, 8:45 am ET) - The story has been updated to include the other Catawba members who have announced their candidacy. The current assistant chief of the Catawba Nation is seeking higher office. On Monday, Jason Harris announced his candidacy to...
UPDATED: Kentucky Sports Betting Bill Clears Legislature in Session’s Final Day
In the end, legalizing sports betting in Kentucky on Thursday came down to politics. Lawmakers in the General Assembly, seeking to wrap up a few pieces of significant legislation on the final day of the 2023 session, came to agreements to pass...
Kentucky Sports Betting Bill ‘Close’ to Passing with One Day Left in Session
Wednesday’s Kentucky General Assembly session ended without the Senate bringing up the sports betting bill, which means supporters will have just one day left – Thursday – to make the Bluegrass State the 37th to legalize the gaming product. Rumors swirled around...
Can US Sportsbooks Learn from UK Operators’ Mistakes? – Opinion
One day after the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) announced a record penalty against William Hill, the details behind what led to it still seem incredible. In case you missed it, on Tuesday, the regulatory agency fined the bookmaker a total of ￡19.2...
Kentucky Skill Games Proponents File Lawsuit to Block Impending Ban
Kentucky’s new law banning gray games, also known as skill machines, will face a legal challenge. Late Tuesday, Pace-O-Matic Chief Public Affairs Officer Michael Barley said in a statement that the Georgia-based game maker was part of a contingent that filed the...
Kentucky Sports Betting Bill Set for Photo Finish as Lawmakers Return to End Session
The Kentucky General Assembly returns to Frankfort for the final two days of its 2023 session on Wednesday. Many will be watching to see if lawmakers can pass a sports betting bill before the clock runs out. Sources have told Casino.org they...
CFTC Says PredictIt Founder Will Get Fair Chance to Refute Allegations Against Exchange
In defending its motion to end an injunction granted to PredictIt, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) told a federal appeals court on Thursday it's giving the founder of the online political futures exchange due process as the federal agency considers...