Industry News

Sandy’s Racing & Gaming Celebrates Grand Opening

Published

2 years ago

October 30, 2023

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear helped open the doors Thursday at Sandy’s Racing & Gaming – a $75 million entertainment facility in Eastern Kentucky that creates nearly 250 new jobs and millions of dollars in new tax revenues.

With nearly 700 historical horse racing games, two performance stages and a BetMGM Race & Sportsbook, the 75,000 square-foot facility is unlike anything else in the area.

“Last year, we promised to bring a first-class facility to Boyd County,” said Larry Lucas, Chairman of Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, which is making the investment together with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. “Today, we can say – promises made, promises kept.”

The project will also include Kentucky’s only quarter horse racetrack and an equestrian center, located on 182 acres behind Sandy’s. While track construction is officially set to begin in early 2024, Thursday’s festivities included a ceremonial blast, leveling some of the hills at the track site. The first races are set to happen there in 2025, marking continued growth for Kentucky’s thriving horse racing industry.

“Sandy’s Racing & Gaming is bringing top-tier racing, gaming and entertainment to Northeastern Kentucky, along with hundreds of new jobs for the people who call Boyd County and the surrounding region home. Congratulations to Revolutionary Racing and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for creating this exciting destination,” Gov. Beshear said.

Last summer, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission awarded the state’s ninth and final horse racing license to Revolutionary Racing Kentucky. Construction began in April and was led by Lexington’s D.W. Wilburn Construction and the Tri-State Building Trades. More than 300 local union workers were employed throughout the project and 90% of all materials and supplies were made in the US.

Amenities include a 5200 square-foot sportsbook, which features dozens of leather recliners and three cinema-sized screens. Daily entertainment will take place on two stages, which include dueling pianos, as well as local and national performers. Country star and Boyd County native Cole Chaney starred as the opening-night headliner, while last year’s “American Idol” winner Noah Thompson delivered a surprise performance.

A craft-focused kitchen offers multiple dining options, with all meat locally sourced from AW Meat House in Argillite. Menu highlights include the Big Sandy Burger, flatbreads, root beer floats made with The Peddler in Huntington, West Virginia and Sandy’s Ale – a craft beer made by Mikerphone Brewing in Illinois, which is only available at Sandy’s.

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FanDuel Sports Network Appoints Damon Phillips to Lead South, Southeast, Florida and Sun Regions

Published

3 weeks ago

August 11, 2025

Niji Narayan

FanDuel Sports Network, owned and operated by Main Street Sports Group, announced that Damon Phillips is joining the Company as Executive Vice President, Team Partnerships, effective August 25. In this role, Phillips will assume oversight of the South, Southeast, Florida and Sun regions, including partnerships with the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Carolina Hurricanes, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Miami Marlins, Nashville Predators, Orlando Magic, and Tampa Bay Rays. He will report to David DeVoe, President of Main Street Sports Group.

“Damon brings an exceptional track record of using digital innovation, audience segmentation, and cross-platform strategies to drive fan growth and engagement. As we continue to invest in our local sports media platform, Damon’s deep leadership experience at both NBC Sports and ESPN, combined with his ability to scale technology-forward solutions for both media companies and team partners, provide a unique perspective as we continue to focus on team-first solutions in a dynamic local media landscape,” said DeVoe.

“I’m thrilled to be joining a company that’s reshaping what local sports media can deliver for fans and partners. FanDuel Sports Network has built a strong foundation and is uniquely positioned to harness the power of local fandom, scale engaged audiences and unlock new growth across its markets. I’m excited to help drive this next chapter,” said Phillips.

Phillips has spent more than three decades at the intersection of sports, media, and technology, including senior leadership roles at NBCUniversal and ESPN. At NBC Sports, he served as Senior Vice President, Digital Media & Emerging Businesses, overseeing NBCSports.com, Sports Betting, Fantasy Sports, the NBC Sports YouTube Channel, Peacock B2B distribution, and multiple podcast and streaming ventures. He led partnerships with DraftKings, BetMGM, Fanatics, and others, and provided strategic direction for the company’s FAST and sports betting content initiatives.

Industry News

Caesars Entertainment Launches Signature American Roulette

Published

3 weeks ago

August 11, 2025

Niji Narayan

Caesars Entertainment has launched its third fully in-house developed proprietary online casino title: Signature American Roulette. Now live in New Jersey, the game is available across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, and Horseshoe Online Casino, bringing another standout addition to the Company’s Signature table game series.

Developed by Empire Creative, Signature American Roulette reflects Caesars’ growing investment in building its own proprietary content, a cornerstone of its online casino strategy aimed at delivering a best-in-class player experience.

“Our in-house content team’s latest addition to the Signature series of table games is a standout for our online casino players. Bringing Signature American Roulette to our iGaming platforms perfectly complements our suite of Caesars-branded table games and further strengthens the robust collection of digital offerings that bring the energy of the casino floor to players’ mobile devices,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital.

Signature American Roulette follows the recent launches of fan-favorite Signature titles, Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender in May and Signature Blackjack Surrender in June, both also developed by Empire Creative. Online casino players can enjoy these games across Caesars’ marquee iGaming platforms in New Jersey, Michigan and Ontario, with Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender now also available on Caesars Palace Online Casino in Pennsylvania.

“Signature American Roulette continues our commitment to delivering immersive and player-centric table games that align with our many iconic brands. From player-selectable wheel spin direction and speed to our intuitive favorite bets system, every detail is crafted to boost engagement. With seamless play in portrait or landscape modes and picture-in-picture win evaluations, we’re bringing the thrill of the casino straight to players’ fingertips,” said Scott Krell, Senior Director of Game Products and Head of Studio at Caesars Digital.

Those 21 and older in New Jersey can play Signature American Roulette by downloading the Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino or Caesars Sportsbook & Casino apps on iOS or Android, or visiting the platforms on desktop. These platforms are also available in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ontario, and West Virginia, offering a dynamic online casino experience that features Caesars-branded games, timeless casino classics, and unique titles from top game providers. Each platform offers a dynamic online casino experience with a range of unique games from top providers, Caesars-branded games, and timeless casino classics. Additionally, each platform integrates Caesars Rewards, the Company’s industry-leading loyalty program allowing players in the US to earn Caesars Rewards Credits redeemable for unforgettable experiences at more than 50 world-class Caesars Rewards destinations across North America.

Industry News

Maryland Casinos Generate $165.7 Million in Gaming Revenue During July

Published

4 weeks ago

August 7, 2025

Niji Narayan

Maryland’s six casinos combined to generate $165,661,894 in revenue from slot machines and table games during July 2025. The statewide total was down $4,159,416 (-2.5%) compared to July 2024.

Casino gaming contributions to the state during July 2025 totaled $71,857,827, a decrease of $305,727 (-0.4%) compared to July 2024. The July 2025 contributions included $51,742,064 to the Education Trust Fund, a decrease of $272,892 (-0.5%) compared to July 2024.

Casino gaming revenues also support the communities and jurisdictions where the casinos are located, Maryland’s horse racing industry, and small, minority- and women-owned businesses.

Maryland’s six privately owned casinos offer both slot machines and table games: MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County; Live! Casino & Hotel in Anne Arundel County; Horseshoe Casino Baltimore in Baltimore City; Ocean Downs Casino in Worcester County; Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County; and Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County.

The gaming revenue totals for July 2025 were as follows:

MGM National Harbor (2261 slot machines, 208 table games)

$68,587,339 in July 2025, a decrease of $3,396,384 (-4.7%) from July 2024

Live! Casino & Hotel (3832 slot machines, 179 table games)

$59,702,771 in July 2025, a decrease of $2,860,124 (-4.6%) from July 2024

Horseshoe Casino (1365 slot machines, 115 table games)

$14,415,536 in July 2025, an increase of $1,098,302 (8.2%) from July 2024

Ocean Downs Casino (900 slot machines, 18 table games)

$10,236,754 in July 2025, an increase of $615,672 (6.4%) from July 2024

Hollywood Casino (731 slot machines, 23 table games)

$7,622,642 in July 2025, an increase of $325,372 (4.5%) from July 2024

Rocky Gap Casino (630 slot machines, 12 table games)