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
Betfred Pays Out Bengals Super Bowl Futures Bets Weeks Before Big Game
Betfred placed a big bet for its launch in Ohio, and now the sports betting operator appears to be doubling down. On Wednesday, the British-based company announced that it would pay out all Super Bowl futures bets on the Cincinnati Bengals. That's...
Adam Koenig, Ex-Kentucky Lawmaker, to Lead State Quarter Horse Group
With quarter horse racing about to start in Kentucky, an industry trade group had tabbed a former state lawmaker to serve as its first executive director. Adam Koenig has been hired to head up the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association (KQHRA), according...
Kentucky Lawmaker Says He’s Working on a New Sports Betting Bill
A Kentucky state lawmaker said he’s working on a sports betting bill that he hopes will get filed shortly after the General Assembly resumes its 2023 session next month. State Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, will pick up the mantle from former state...
PredictIt to Liquidate Political Market if Injunction Bid Fails, May Reinvent Itself
Should a federal appeals court does not grant PredictIt an injunction to keep its political futures exchange open next month, the operator will look to reinvent itself, Casino.org learned on Friday. The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled a hearing...
PredictIt Injunction Hearing May Come Too Late to Save Exchange
PredictIt will finally get its day in court and the chance to make its case for why the political futures exchange should remain operational after February 15. On Wednesday, the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled a hearing for oral arguments...
Ohio Casino Control Commission Approves $150K Fine Against Caesars Sportsbook
The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) approved a $150K fine for Caesars Sportsbook at its monthly meeting Wednesday. That's after the regulatory body found the sports betting operator failed to comply with state regulations in ads for its site. Caesars was one...
Commodity Futures Board’s Bid to Dismiss PredictIt’s Lawsuit Denied
PredictIt and its supporters received a victory in a federal courtroom Tuesday in its quest to keep the political futures exchange operational. However, the plaintiffs didn't get everything they were seeking. At least not yet. A three-judge panel from the Fifth Circuit...
The 2023 College Football Season Has a Big Week Ahead
Last week was the biggest week in the college football season so far, with Georgia capping a perfect record by destroying TCU 65-7 in the national title game. Now, another of the biggest weeks for the upcoming season is coming up. While...
New York Gets $709M From Online Sports Betting Taxes in First Year
The results are in, and New York was definitely the big winner in the first year of online sports betting in the state. A release from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office Friday reported that the state collected more than $709 million in tax...
Betr Launches Microbetting App in Ohio, Offers $1M for 30 Winning Bets in a Row
Betr, the US-based online sports betting startup focused on in-game wagering, announced Friday that it has formally launched in Ohio. The company cofounded by professional fighter and social media influencer Jake Paul and entrepreneur Joey Levy was officially licensed in the state...