North America

The Governance of US racing operator Churchill Downs has committed $38 million to expanding its marquee Louisville racetrack, the home of the Kentucky Derby. Starting construction in January 2017, Churchill Downs plans to build a seven-story ‘Starting Gate Suite’, which will sit besides its existing ‘Jockey Club Suite’. Announcing  the construction of its new suite, Churchill Downs governance detailed that …

Premier Punt, the Aberdeen based DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) challenger, has turned to the crowdfunding site Seedrs in a bid to raise £200,000 in funding for product development. The firm, which has been shortlisted for next month’s SBC Awards in the category of Best Fantasy Sports Product, made the jump from a web-based game to a soft launch of its …

Geoff Freeman the President & CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA) has requested for the impending Trump administration and the Supreme Court to review the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) which has outlawed sports betting in the majority of US states. The AGA stands by its claim that PASPA provisions which have limited legal sports betting to …

Presenting Amaya Inc results for Q3 2016, CEO Rafi Ashkenazi praised the work and competence of his firm’s recently launched ‘BetStars’ sports betting division, stating that it had delivered on its goal of creating a ‘competitive online sportsbook’. Seeking to challenge established legacy betting operators, the BetStars division will be led by new MD Zeno Osskó as Amaya looks to …

Geoff Freeman the President & Chief Executive of the American Gaming Association (AGA) has issued a statement outlining the industry body’s intent on working with the Donald Trump administration. Freeman details that a Trump Presidency will mark ‘the dawning of a new era in Congress’, as the AGA champions the gambling industry and its stakeholders. With Trump taking over the …

Impacted negatively by the depreciation of pound sterling against the Canadian dollar, Toronto TSX-listed Intertain Group (Intertain) has recorded a 7% drop in corporate revenues to CAD $113 million for its Q3 2016 performance (period ending 30 September). The operator who is preparing to float on the London Stock Exchange under its core brand ‘Jackpotjoy Plc’ would close its Q3 …

UFC 205 has already broken records as the most bet on UFC fight night of all time, according to figures from Sportsbet.io. The Bitcoin sportsbook has enjoyed a steady stream of bets in the lead-up to Saturday night’s event in New York, which has already beaten Sportsbet’s previous high for the most wagered on a UFC card. Unsurprisingly, the headline …

Sportech PLC has revealed that its football pools business is performing to expectations, despite the uncertainty caused by the recent failed takeover bid by Burlywood Capital. In a trading update, Sportech said that The Football Pools continues to trade in line with management expectations, and is demonstrating the move to stability that we have been striving for in 2016. It …

Smarkets betting exchange has revealed that one of its customers pocketed £165,000 after successfully trading on the US presidential race. Having been given just a 10% chance of success midway through the election night, Republican candidate Donald Trump secured victory in the race to the White House after a shock victory in Wisconsin put him over the required 270 electoral college …

Paddy Power has suffered its biggest ever political payout, after being hit for over $4.5 million by customers who backed Donald Trump to become the 45th US President. The Irish bookmaker is counting the costs of its decision to pay out £800,000 on a Hillary Clinton victory back in October. Aided by the reopened FBI investigation into Clinton’s use of …