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
Single-Game Sports Betting Soon to be Legal in Canada After Historic Vote
By a 57-20 margin, Canadian Senators on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed legislation to allow single-game sports betting in the country. The vote, during the third and final reading of C-218, was the last major step before the bill officially becomes law. As the...
Fixed-Odds Racing Bill Clears New Jersey Legislature, Awaits Governor’s Signature
Thanks to a pair of unanimous votes in the New Jersey Legislature Monday, fixed-odds horse racing is a signature away from becoming reality in the Garden State. The state Senate voted 40-0 to pass an amended version of the bill that Assembly...
FanDuel CEO Matt King to Take Position at Fanatics – Report
One month after it was announced Matt King would leave FanDuel, it appears the CEO of the sports betting and technology company has found his next gig. Sportico reported Monday that King will land at Fanatics, a sports e-retail giant. It’s uncertain...
Canadian Senate Rejects Amendment to Sports Betting Bill, Vote Set for Tuesday
Canadian senators on Monday turned down an amendment to keep lawmakers from giving a final reading to a bill legalizing single-game sports betting in the country’s criminal code. The amendment was defeated by a wide margin. After that victory, supporters called for...
Debate on Canadian Sports Betting Bill Likely to Resume Monday
The Canadian Senate is expected to resume debate Monday on C-218, the bill to legalize single-game sports betting in the country. Members will likely have to decide on an amendment supporters say could derail the bill’s chances of passage. Monday also starts...
MGM Resorts International Invests $500K in Yonkers Raceway Track Renovation
Trotters and pacers returned to Yonkers Raceway earlier this month, but not before the historic harness track just outside of New York City completed a $500,000 renovation. MGM Resorts International, which operates the track and the Empire City Casino, also located there,...
Ohio Casinos Reiterate Concerns Regarding E-Bingo Provision in Sports Betting Bill
Ohio Senate Bill 176 gets a lot of attention for the fact it would legalize sports betting in the Buckeye State. However, there’s another provision in the bill that would allow electronic instant bingo, also known as e-bingo, at roughly 875 facilities...
MGM Announces Charter Flights Now Available to Borgata Atlantic City Casino
MGM Resorts International announced on Friday that it was introducing charter air service to the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City. In a statement, the gaming company said that travelers from up to 75 cities will be able to fly...
Chicago Bears Announce Bid for Arlington International Property
The Monsters of the Midway might have to come up with a new nickname. On Thursday, the Chicago Bears revealed that they submitted a proposal to buy the Arlington International Racecourse property currently owned by Churchill Downs Inc. The Louisville-based gaming company...
Ohio Senate Approves Sports Betting, But Some Supporters Raise Concerns
The Ohio Senate wasted little time in passing a bill to legalize sports betting in the state. On Wednesday, one day after the Senate Select Committee on Gaming passed an amended bill, the full body approved the measure by a 30-2 margin....