HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA Executive Newsletter

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, EditorFriday, June 11, 2010HARRAH’S STOPS NJ BET BILLNew Jersey’s State Assembly RegulatoryOversight and Gaming Committee,which was moving forward with determinationon a bill allowing sports betting,has been stopped cold by objectionsfrom the world’s biggest gambling enterprise,Harrah’s Entertainment. Thebill’s prime mover in the New Jersey legislature,State Senator Raymond Lesniak,expressed surprise and displeasure at thedevelopment involving Assembly Bill 817,which would allow betting on professionalsports, subject to voter approval.“I am really astonished,” Lesniak said,“at Harrah’s that they would continue tofight against New Jersey’s interests in orderto protect their monopoly in Nevadaon sports betting. They have no shape toopenly fight against New Jersey and ourneeds for additional revenues for theirown corporate greed.” Lesniak made nomention of the need for additional revenuesfor racing, to which Harrah’s contributesand participates with its Chesterharness operation. A Harrah’s spokeswomandenied Lesniak’s charges, sayingthe company “is absolutely not delayinga sports betting bill in New Jersey. Theentire New Jersey Casino Association opposesInternet and sports betting.” Shesaid Harrah’s felt that without changingfederal law that prohibits sports bettingeverywhere except four grandfatheredstates, a vote by New Jerseycitizens would be premature.GREAT EXPERIMENT IN JULYPoker, blackjack, roulette and craps willbegin in harness track racinos in Pennsylvaniain July, first with test days on July 6at The Meadows, July 11 at Mohegan Sunat Pocono Downs and July 16 at Harrah’sChester Casino and Racetrack. The tablegames almost certainly will boost pursesat those tracks and will increase employmentsubstantially -- by 500 at Chesterand almost 550 at The Meadows accordingto track officials -- but what they doto betting on racing remains to be seen.OHIO GOV SIGNS, UNHAPPYOhio Governor Ted Strickland has signeda bill that establishes rules for four expectedcasinos in the state, but he did sowith strong reservations. The governoris unhappy over a provision that allowsstate income tax deductions for gamblinglosses. He predicts that measure, whichwill include betting on horse racing, willreduce state budget money by $60 millionto $80 million every two years, starting in2014. Strickland calls the provision “fiscallyirresponsible,” saying it is the firsttime income tax laws have been used tosubsidize gambling losses. He lacks powerto line veto it, but will oppose it.NEW CANTOR DEVICE AT TROPCantor Gaming, which has won the sportsbook contract for the Tropicana in Vegas,will introduce its new mobile device,eDeck, enabling off-floor gambling, thisfall when the book opens.