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 stevebittenbender@casino.org.
Areas of Expertise
1982 stories by Steve Bittenbender
British Columbia to Require Proof of Vaccination to Enter Casinos, Public Venues
Officials in British Columbia announced a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination order for anyone in Canada’s Pacific province who wants to attend social events or go to popular attractions, like casinos. The vaccine mandate starts on Sept. 13. Officials announced the order Monday as...
ZenSports Gets Breakthrough in Nevada with Two-Year Gaming License
As the saying goes, the hardest million dollars to make is the first. The saying may not hold true for sports betting licenses in the US. But you wouldn’t blame Mark Thomas and others at ZenSports if they felt that way after...
Ontario iGaming Regulators Release Operator Guide, Create Path for Grays
Operators interested in iGaming opportunities in Ontario now have some more information to help put together their applications. Last week, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) released the Internet Gaming Operator Application Guide, an online resource to guide applicants through...
Kansas Attorney General Takes Wyandotte Casino Ruling to Federal Appeals Court
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and four entities filed an appeal Friday in their case against the federal government regarding a tribal casino near Wichita. The filing in the US 10th Circuit Court of Appeals comes after a Kansas federal district judge...
Effort Underway to Support Second Cedar Rapids Casino Referendum in Eight Years
Business and community leaders in Iowa’s second-biggest county are starting to promote an upcoming referendum that could finally bring a casino to the Cedar Rapids area. Earlier this month, the Linn County Gaming Association (LCGA) revealed the five local leaders who will...
Top Indiana Gaming Official to Step Down, Oversaw Massive Spectacle Probe
Sara Gonso Tait will step down as the executive director of the Indiana Gaming Commission, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced on Friday. Tait was appointed to the position that oversees the day-to-day operations of the commission by then-Gov. Mike Pence in June 2015....
Hard Rock Northern Indiana Gets Much-Needed Certainty After Spectacle
After months of hearings, orders, and discussions, Hard Rock Northern Indiana’s ownership issues have been settled. Florida-based Hard Rock International is taking control of the state’s newest casino from its partner in the venture, a company that has been mired in an...
Powerball Third Weekly Draw Starts Monday; Mass. Man Claims $500K Just in Time
The $290 million Powerball jackpot didn’t go out on Saturday night. But now players will get an extra chance to win each week, as the multi-state lottery goes to three draws a week, starting on Monday. The jackpot for the historic Monday...
Tipico Launches Sports Betting App in Colorado, May Pick Denver for US Tech Hub
Tipico, a German-based sportsbook operator, had a busy day in Colorado Thursday. First, the company announced that its mobile sports betting app had been approved by the Colorado Division of Gaming and went live statewide. The Centennial State is the second US...
Billy Walters Contributes $1M to Rename McCarran Int’l Airport for Harry Reid
The quest to rename McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas after former US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid picked up steam – and some serious cash – on Thursday. That's when retired gambler Billy Walters and his wife, Susan, made a $1...