Online Casinos Directory

Cincinnati racetrack River Downs has been suffering since the recession. As everyone knows racing has been suffering financially since the recession. It is difficult to get people to wager when they are having problems with their own finances. Millions of Americans were left in the unemployment lines when the recession first happened. They had to cut back on everything and that for the most part included cutting gambling completely out of their monthly budgets and spending. This caused land based casinos and racetracks to suffer. They had no way of bringing in the former dollars. Most land based casinos were sitting pretty for a long time, bringing in millions of dollars per month. They believed that their markets were safe and they had nothing to worry about. When people were under financial attack due to the recession though, this stifled their spending and land based casinos felt the brunt of the attacks. They tried to reinvigorate the market, but it was almost pointless for them to be able to make the necessary changes. Racing for the most part was left with few options to find revival. The River Downs was one of those longstanding racing locales that had a rich history to work with, but no market to sustain it. It was thought that the racing facility may have to close down due to a lack of prospects in terms of turning its revenue stream around. Now, thankfully that is not going to have to happen.

Pinnacle Entertainment made the announcement that they are going to purchase River Downs, for $45 million. This is a big purchase, but it could be a good move for the gaming company. Pinnacle Entertainment has the funds needed to fuel into the business and create great cards. It can also put together a good promotional package and build other gaming facilities in the location. It could be that they use a combination of promotion and slots parlors to bring people into the area once again for the purpose of returning to gambling, and in turn returning to wagering on the horse races. Only time will tell what happens, but most likely Pinnacle is the company need to turn this racetrack around for good.

For years now the horseracing industry has been in serious trouble. The recession was hard on all markets. One thing people cut back on drastically was gambling. Casinos—both online and land based—felt the repercussion with dwindling numbers and lowered customer bases. Remember at the height of the recession the unemployment numbers were high. This left people with diminishing nest eggs and little to no discretionary funds left over. People were more concerned with making their house payments and bills, rather than gaming at the newest online or land based casino. Although the recession was over, racetrack activities have not returned to normal. They are still down and this is making it even more difficult for them to stay open. Another problem is the new casinos cropping up in the market. This is creating competition that racetracks are not yet ready to shoulder. One location that knows this all too well is New Jersey. The state has long been struggling to reinvigorate its gaming and racing industries but it isn’t happening as readily as hoped.

Now the state released an editorial with a statement that the racing industry is in need of approximately $200-million in revenue from tax payers to keep their businesses up and running. This editorial came out during a difficult time in the market. Although people are recovering, they are not yet bringing their hard-earned money to the racetracks. This is causing more and more problems for the industry. If they can get a huge amount of cash, they can continue to create bonuses to bring in more customers and hopefully turn their businesses around. In a lot of ways this editorial outlined a mini-stimulus for the industry. Just like financial institutions received economic assistance from the government, so the racing industry is asking for the same thing. WHether or not this will reasonably happen has yet to be answered. Will tax payers agree to contributing to a flailing market? Will tax payers see this as important enough a cause? Or, will they just look at racing as an out-of-date activity that should be evolved out of the market? Only time will tell what happens, but this is an issue that the state of New Jersey will definitely be debating for some time to come.

Ohio is in the midst of problems regarding gambling and setting the laws. Many states in the US are having heated debates over how to write laws and change the face of gaming and how it is used by the economy. It was last November that the approval for four new casinos was passed. State officials were excited because of the potential because they saw it as a means of bringing in much needed cash flow. Since the recession began economies everywhere have suffered greatly. It has been a difficult time and state legislators, along with cities, are hoping that gambling is just what they need to turn things around financially. It has worked for other cities and now this one is hoping to capitalize on the change to turn the economy around for the good.

The changes are now without consequence though. In Ohio the biggest casualty is the struggling racing industry. Of all the industries that have taken hits during the recession, racing probably is one of the most hard-hit. People suffered high unemployment rates and quickly cut back on discretionary spending. This included gambling and racetrack wagers. Though gambling I seemingly on the rise, racing has yet to come to any clear turnaround. In fact, the numbers are continuing to decline. This is horrible news for the race track owners who were hoping to see the same turnaround that other industries have seen post-recession. Things don’t seem to be turning out that way now that the industry is settling.

In Ohio racetrack owners are particularly concerned because if the four casinos do open it could take what little business racetracks have now completely away. Also, considering that racetracks were making moves to gain approval to include slots gaming at their locations, now this could hamper that. Even if they do get the approval, there are going to be so many widespread choices for gaming at the four state-of-the-art casinos that visiting a racino will be all but unnecessary. State racetrack owners are holding their breaths in anticipation of what comes next. All too many are worried that the only alternative will be to shut their doors permanently.

One of the oldest and most exciting gambling games around is horse betting. It’s been around for ages and the fun hasn’t waned over the years. The best part of horse racing is watching the horses run—they are beautiful animals and you will be surprised at how much fun it is and how the excitement can get to even the most serious visitor to the tracks. When you are playing, remember that you can get lucky a few times, but overall you will never beat the races. It is next to impossible to predict what horse is going to win a particular race—even the top runners don’t always make it to the finish line first. But—that’s gambling! These are just a few basics to keep in mind if you venture out to the race tracks. First, remember that you will have to pay an admission charge. Be sure to factor that into your overall bankroll when you go to the track.

Next, remember that racing, like all gambling games, is highly addictive. Race track builders and casino operators know how to use visual appeal, sound and game placement to make you want to continue wagering. It’s like clockwork—the crowd sees the horses come out, they take their stage, the gun is shot in the air, the crowd is in a frenzy and so on and so on. Deciding what to wager at the pitch fever of excitement is probably not the way to go. 

You want to know exactly what your bankroll is well before you get to the racetrack. It’s important because once you are there, you don’t have a fighting chance! Take the time to figure out your bankroll and commit yourself to sticking to it when you get to the casino. Remember that there will be a wide range of options to “help” you spend more money. You’ll find ATMs. You’ll find cashiers willing to give you a cash advance. You’ll find all kinds of comps if you just “wager once more.”  Be wise, and be careful. Remember that though it is exciting, you are wagering your hard-earned money. Never wager more than you can afford to lose.

When it comes to gambling, horse racing is one of the oldest and most fun games around. It is a fast paced activity but can be expensive for those who don’t watch their bets. Of course the best part of the game is watching the beautiful horses move with grace and speed across the track.

You may get lucky and win a race, but you can’t beat the races. Remember that it’s difficult to predict what horse is going to win a particular race—even the top runners don’t always make it to the finish line first. But—that’s gambling! These are just a few basics to keep in mind if you venture out to the race tracks. First, remember that you will have to pay an admission charge. Then to win your money back you are going to have to get lucky a few times. It is necessary to have a large bankroll with gambling at the race track. That’s why so many people end up going to bet a few times and end up losing it all on racing.

Remember that race tracks and betting at them are highly addictive. The excitement and the fun can cause even the most restrained player to bet and bet big. Most races, especially the bigger ones, are costly. The entry fee plus concurrent wagers can all add up. Of course the bigger the race, the bigger the fees to sit and wager will be. If you are betting at a smaller track, it may fit into your budget quite nicely. The best idea when wagering anywhere is to keep a strict bankroll. Set it at the amount of money you can afford to lose and once you lose it, leave. It’s important to stop betting when your bankroll is out. Too many people find it convenient to just run to the ATM or to the cash cage and get a cash advance. These both are bad moves and can tip any gambler over the line of what he or she can afford. Of course race tracks, and casinos for that matter, make it easy to get money. They want you to keep on wagering. But, be sure to set your limits and follow them. It’s the only safe way to go to a race track.

Recently Calder Casino and Race Track in Miami Gardens Florida got its first delivery of brand new slots games.  There were 242 shiny games delivered from WMS of Waukegan, Illinois. It took five trucks to haul the machines from the Midwest to Florida. They were situated in a 104,000 square foot casino facility and are hoped to bring much-needed revenue to the business. The all-new Calder Casino is scheduled for a grand opening in January 2010 and will feature 1,225 slot machines in all, as well as three new restaurants.

The casino will feature the most popular games in the industry from WMS and other manufacturers.  Wagers will range anywhere from penny-slots to high dollar slots. They are shooting for diversity with their slots parlor so everyone can enjoy the fun and gamble freely.  Senior Director of Slot Operations Beverly Price stated, “This is an exciting step for us on our journey to making the Calder Casino a reality. Our team has been working extremely hard on the casino project and to have the first round of machines arrive signifies another major milestone for us.” It was a good day for the casino and it is hoping that the new slots open up a new market for the casino. Many racetracks have suffered due to the recession and have looked for various ways to bring in added revenues. Calder will be the second pari-mutuel facility in Miami-Dade County to offer slot machines, and the only Thoroughbred racetrack in the county to feature these games. In addition, Calder opened its brand-new, 29-table Studz Poker Club on Oct. 23. The race track is looking to develop itself into a premiere “racino” for the state. Racino is a term that has been coined to signify a casino with slot machine parlor combination. It’s great news to legislators who are hoping to first, elevate the amount of jobs in the area, two, save race tracks from financial disaster and three, bring in huge tax revenues from the slot machines. It’s no secret that race track bidding is down. People just aren’t venturing to the race tracks these days.  It is hoped that bringing slots will attract a new gambling public to the facilities and elevate revenues.

In an effort to bring horseracing to the mainstream market, the UK horseracing industry has created Racing for Change. It is a series of ten new trials. These include significant changes in the odds format offered at races by introducing decimal odds instead of the current system, as well as the creation of a budget that will reward jockeys and trainers who increase their media appearance outside the industry.  It’s a great way to bring an awareness of the sport to the world. It also couldn’t have come at a better time.

Racing in the world has been on a slow decline in past years. Its popularity has diminished considerably.  That was hard on racetrack owners who want to continue to grow. They have been having a hard time making ends meet for a long time. In the UK, things are no different. Racing for Change chairman Brian McFadden said, “British horse racing is the envy of the racing world with our abundance of outstanding horses. Yet the sport needs to work harder to connect with a wider public. This is, no doubt, a result of a significantly more competitive betting and leisure environment – so we have to raise our game.” He also said that new meetings have created additional ways of spreading the word.

The biggest problem racing has is fighting off the state of the economy. The recession of 2008/2009 was hard on consumers all over the world. They drastically cut back in spending and that included leisure pastimes like racing. In the US alone, the unemployment rate soared above 10% and in some areas it reached as high as 40%. In areas particularly dependent on one industry, like Detroit’s manufacturing industry, it was much more difficult on consumers. They cut all extra spending out of their budgets to manage. Many fell into foreclosure and repossessions and others had to downsize considerably. The lack of funds made it hard to afford anything outside of the essentials on the budget. Only time will tell if the economy is able to turn around as quickly as the racing industry needs or if their efforts to bring more notoriety to the sport will be successful. In the mean time programs like Racing for Change will do as best it can to make racing an exciting and fun hobby for people everywhere.

“It’s hard to say what the future will hold, but if we continue with certain products, there is probably little or no growth from year to year,” said Paula Otto in a recent interview to the Daily Press. Otto is the Executive Director of the Virginia state lottery and she sees the internet as the only viable option that will spur on growth. Lotteries are suffering, just like other industries in the recession. It’s a difficult time because of the unemployment rate. It’s causing millions of Americans to stop spending. That spending freeze has brought a lot of stress to business owners in almost every industry. Whether it’s housing, lending, manufacturing, retail, auto or restaurants, owners are racking their brains trying to think of new ways to bring up revenues. Unfortunately, unless the unemployment rate starts to level off and decline, there may be no viable option to be found.

Another aspect of expanding gambling to the internet market is that it will make the lottery more competitive. Now that gambling is set to be legalized and regulated by most jurisdictions, there is a highly competitive market on the horizon. Gambling organizations that offer just one type of wagering will be out in the cold. For example, if you walk into any land-based casino, you’ll find a wide variety of games. Most have everything from poker and craps to backgammon and slots. It’s that variety that bring customers in and causes them to return. Most gamblers like the variety of playing multiple, affordable games throughout their gaming session. Some even superstitiously believe that play on a variety of games increases their chances of a big win. Regardless of the reason, the fact is that casinos that offer more games have more steady and repeat customers.

Even race tracks see variety as the way to bring in a new clientele. Many race tracks around the country, both dog and horse, are looking to bring in slot machine gambling. They know that offering slots will bring in an entirely new audience. People who may not necessarily enjoy horse racing, can still come with friends who do and have something to entertain themselves with. When it comes to Virginia’s lottery situation, that variety is also what is needed. Otto also said that “internet gaming is a real option in the future of the state’s lottery and without the internet, there may be no growth potential at all.” Reporters pressed his statement and asked whether or not she thought the future included online gambling and she replied, “In my view, it’s not if, but it is when.”

Churchill Down Inc. is making moves into the online gambling world. The company, that owns a series of racetracks, just purchased YouBet.com. This will allow them to take bets via the internet electronically. Bob Evans, president of the Louisville-based race track and gambling company said, “The way I think about this is, I want to put layers of future growth into the business.”  Evans is referring to a pointed question of whether or not the company will focus on its racetracks or online betting.  He stated that there is a equal focus and they are ready for development in either.

Evan’s statements came two days after the company announced it would pay about $128 million for YouBet’s account wagering business and its United Tote operations, which process bets made on track. “To this point, everything we’ve done has got some connection to racing in its very traditional sense,” said Evans. Evans takes his experience from a technology-driven and logistics businesses and this has made some industry experts question his vision in terms of developing racing. One year after joining with Churchill Down Inc., Evans began the company’s account wagering company, TwinSpires.com.  Many critics are noting a focus by Evans on developing the online portion of the business, rather than staying true to the initial vision.

Evans said his worry is that 90 percent of betting on his tracks’ races comes from off-site locations, largely other racetracks and off-track betting parlors outside his control. Those bets return far less revenue to Churchill than wagers made at the company’s tracks. Historically racetracks that take bets when they don’t have live races have difficulty making money, and New York City’s off-track betting company received permission this year to file for bankruptcy as a result of lack of revenue. Evans stated that investing in online portals of gaming allows the company to have “more control over its future.” He added, “Ninety percent of my product goes through … two channels that are economically struggling—off-track parlors and other racetracks. That’s a huge problem.” Evans is hoping moving to the online world will generate revenue, and also make the company viable in the ever-changing market.