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Wind Creek Hospitality to Acquire Birmingham Racecourse and Casino
Two of Alabama’s leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry — Wind Creek Hospitality, owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and the McGregor family, owners of Birmingham Racecourse and Casino and Victoryland Casino — announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Wind Creek will acquire the Birmingham Racecourse. The sale is expected to be finalized by early 2025.
Wind Creek will transform the Birmingham Racecourse into a premier entertainment destination in the Southeast and will continue to offer parimutuel and historical horse racing games currently in operation and the facility.
“For over 30 years, we have worked to provide the best possible experience for our customers and employees, while generating significant tax revenue for the state of Alabama and local charities. We have paid hundreds of millions of dollars to the State of Alabama and to local schools, hospitals, charities and other organizations that need financial support,” said Lewis Benefield, President of the Birmingham Racecourse and VictoryLand.
Benefield said the McGregor family has consistently sought to enhance the gaming and entertainment options at the Birmingham Racecourse, but legislative hurdles have presented challenges.
“The people of Birmingham desire the same types of entertainment offered at other facilities in and around Alabama. Unfortunately, differing state laws and enforcement actions regarding gaming have limited our ability to compete effectively. The McGregor family will now focus their efforts on VictoryLand in Macon County and advocate for unified gaming legislation in Alabama which would capture much-needed revenue for the people of Alabama,” Benefield said.
“We are excited to bring the Birmingham Racecourse into the Wind Creek family. The McGregor family built and has operated the Birmingham Racecourse and Casino for decades. Over those years, it became clear to us that we share many of the same goals — providing great entertainment, attracting tourism and creating economic growth In Alabama. We are really looking forward to welcoming their employees and to moving forward together,” said Jay Dorris, President and CEO of Wind Creek Hospitality.
Stephanie Bryan, Tribal Chair and CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, said the tribe has already been heavily involved in the Birmingham area, supporting organizations like the Birmingham Promise, Birmingham Zoo, and many others. She said Wind Creek will make this facility a major economic force for the area in creating more jobs, taxes, and support for the local community.
“Birmingham is one of the most vibrant cities in America, and we feel very fortunate that this acquisition will allow us to increase the investment and deepen the relationships that we already have in Birmingham. When it comes to attracting tourism, this is an incredibly important area of the state. We are committed to building on the success of both the Birmingham Racecourse and Casino and our Wind Creek brand by ensuring that this property will keep tourist dollars here at home and provide jobs that support Alabama families,” she said.
Bryan added: “As the leader of our Tribe, I am deeply grateful to the expertise and leadership of Arthur Mothershed, a Member of our Tribal Council and Wind Creek’s VP of Business Development, in representing the interests of our Tribe and our gaming business in this important acquisition and new venture.”
NetGaming, a fast-growing online casino content supplier, is proud to announce its launch in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive, Inc., a leading online casino and sports betting company in the United States, Canada and Latin America. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone for NetGaming as it continues to expand its footprint across regulated North American markets.
As part of the launch, Ontario players on BetRivers can now enjoy a diverse portfolio of NetGaming titles, known for their high-quality graphics, immersive gameplay, and unique themes. Standout games such as Zeus’s Thunderbolt, Bison Gold, and Fireball Inferno are among the first to go live, with additional titles set to follow soon.
This partnership is just the beginning. NetGaming plans to extend its collaboration with Rush Street Interactive into Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Mexico over the coming months.
Pallavi Deshmukh, CEO of NetGaming, commented: “We are thrilled to go live with Rush Street Interactive, a powerhouse operator with a strong presence and loyal player base. This launch marks a significant milestone in our
North American expansion strategy and underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences tailored to local player preferences across the region.”
Richard Schwartz, CEO of Rush Street Interactive, commented: “We are pleased to partner with NetGaming to bring innovative, premium games to our players in Ontario. This collaboration aligns with our strategy to offer world-class
entertainment through engaging, action-packed online casino games. We look forward to expanding this partnership into additional regulated markets in the months ahead.”
This strategic partnership highlights both companies’ dedication to providing high- quality, innovative, and responsible entertainment to players in regulated markets.
The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) has announced Chief Tammy Cook-Searson, of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, as its new Board Chair for SIGA’s Board of Directors.
SIGA is a non-profit First Nation gaming operator for seven land-based casinos and the online gaming platform PlayNow.com in Saskatchewan.
Chief Cook-Searson first joined SIGA’s Board of Directors in 2018 and has been a regular SIGA Board member as well as a member of SIGA’s Audit & Finance Committee.
She is serving in her 20th year as Chief of Lac La Ronge Indian Band and has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and a graduate diploma in management from Athabasca University. She also holds honorary degrees from the University of Regina, the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) and Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
Chief Cook-Searson replaces outgoing Board Chair former Chief of Muskowekwan First Nation Reginald Bellerose, who has held the Board Chair position since February 4, 2015.
SCCG Management has announced a strategic partnership with Applift, the world’s top performance App Store Optimization (ASO) agency. This partnership will introduce Applift’s proprietary ASO technology and advanced growth strategies to gaming companies worldwide, leveraging SCCG’s unmatched distribution capabilities and expansive gaming ecosystem of 120+ client partners.
Applift has earned a reputation as the gold standard in app growth by delivering data-driven ASO strategies powered by proprietary AI tools and the most comprehensive keyword intelligence system in the industry. Their work drives top keyword rankings, scalable user acquisition, and real business impact – increasing FTDs, improving retention, and maximizing LTV for some of the world’s most successful gaming, finance, utility, and AI apps.
Through this partnership, SCCG will activate its global network — with offices in every major gaming market across North America, LATAM, Europe, Africa, and Asia — to bring Applift’s breakthrough ASO technology to gambling companies seeking to scale user acquisition, boost visibility, and outperform the competition in app stores.
“At SCCG, we identify and scale the technologies that shape the future of gambling,” said Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management.
“Applift’s ASO platform is a game-changer. Our partnership gives gaming companies a proven solution to turn mobile visibility into performance at scale — and our global presence ensures the right operators and platforms benefit from this innovation.”
“At Applift, we’ve helped top gaming apps dominate the app stores, turning visibility into performance and installs into high-value users — all through our unmatched ASO technology and data-driven approach. Partnering with SCCG is a natural step forward. Their strategic footprint in the gaming world perfectly complements our ability to scale app growth at the highest level. Together, we’re not just optimizing – we’re redefining how gaming brands win in the app stores. I couldn’t be more confident in what we’ll achieve,” said Bar Nakash, CEO of Applift.
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