RACING AND GAMING CONFERENCE AT SARATOGA 2022 AGENDA

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Reception: The 408, 408 Broadway

7:00 – 8:30 a.m.  

Continental Breakfast

7:00 – 9:00 a.m.  

Registration

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. 

Opening Presentation

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. 

Downstate Casino Expansion – Since the Coney Island casino gold rush of the late 1970s, the vision of opening casinos in New York City has been a dream for some and a nightmare for others. Now, that dream will become a reality, but in what form? What will Downstate gaming look like, and what impact will it have throughout the entire region? City and state elected officials, industry executives, and real estate insiders will offer their insights and describe their goals for gaming in one of the world’s most important economic centers. 

10:00 – 11:00 a.m.                         Breakout Sessions

Responsible Gaming: Are Programs and Funding Keeping Pace with Industry Growth? More ways to gamble through more channels – and the accompanying advertising barrage – means that more consumers are exposed to gambling and its messaging. Are states providing the necessary resources to keep up with the growth? Is the industry doing its part?  

State Lotteries: Finding Avenues for Growth – More than ever, lotteries are competing for discretionary spending amid a flurry of expansion in the gaming industry. They have become the operators of digital games and, in some cases, sports betting. What do lottery directors see as the next growth areas? How do states maximize funds from gaming taxes and still protect lottery revenues? 

11:00 – 11:30 a.m.  

Networking Break

11:30 – 12:30pm  

Sports Betting: What’s Next? Thirty states now offer legal sports betting, including New York, which could become the biggest market of them all. Sports betting is still in a rapid-growth mode, but how long will this continue – particularly when (or if) operators pull back on their advertising and promotional blitzes? Are state gaming-tax rates having an impact on performance, particularly in competitive situations like New York (51%) and New Jersey (14.25%)? Should states look to expand the number of delivery channels by adding retail locations such as stadiums and retail kiosks? Is there a saturation point for sports betting? And if so, are we approaching it? 

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.  

Keynote Luncheon

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.                         

The Rise (or Scourge) of Unregulated Gaming Machines – Do “skill” games, fish games, 8-liners, and other unregulated gaming machines in retail locations undermine regulated gaming and prevent jurisdictions from fully achieving their stated policy goals? Such games have gained widespread appeal because they provide a real-money, slot-machine-like gambling experience without the burden of regulation. Would states promote innovation by allowing games to develop in an unregulated marketplace? Is outright prohibition the answer, or should states regulate them instead? 

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.                         Breakout Sessions

M&A Investment Trends in Sports Betting and Online Gaming:

Where does all the money go? Our panel of experts from the financial sector and the gaming industry will provide insights into what drives M&A transactions in the industry and how early-stage investors allocate capital in the gaming market. Come and learn what the big-money players are thinking about the size of the market and new revenue opportunities. 

Gaming Regulation in the Digital Age: Are “Analog” Regulations and Regulators Sufficient to Police the Digital Gaming Market? The federal Wire Act was written to regulate data transmitted over telephone and telegraph wires. We have seen federal regulators try to adapt its text to the digital, wireless world. Many horse racing laws and regulations were drafted for the bygone age when legal bets were made only at the track. Do regulations protecting the sanctity of the casino count room have any application in the age of online wagering? These questions and more will be discussed by gaming regulators and industry lawyers. 

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.  

Networking Break

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.  

Online Casinos: How Will Online Gaming Legalization Across the Nation Play Out in the Next Five Years? More than 10 years after the US Department of Justice effectively authorized internet gaming, only six states offer online casino gaming. Yet elected officials are introducing online-gaming legislation at a healthy clip, and gaming companies are deploying legal, lobbying, and public relations assets to states to push legalization. Our gaming experts give an update from the states to the corporate boardrooms. Does online gaming, in fact, cannibalize casino revenues? Will the further expansion of online sports betting open the door for online casino gaming?

5:30 – 8:30 p.m. 

Reception and Charity Gaming, Canfield Casino, 25 East Congress Street

7:00 – 8:30 a.m.  

Continental Breakfast

7:00 – 9:00 a.m.  

Registration

8:30 – 9:30 a.m. 

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act – Examining HISA and the future of horse racing, our panel of experts will discuss the positions of major players in the industry, review updates on the litigation, and examine what impact the regulations are having on state entities and funding mechanisms. 

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.                         Breakout Sessions

Horse Racing, NFTs, and the Metaverse – Industry insiders on the cutting edge of innovation will discuss the explosion of “play-to-earn” games, specifically horse racing games. They will map the newest generation platform, the web 3.0 horse racing landscape. Who are the major players, what kind of money are they making? Also, they will debate whether tokenization is a good fit for the horse racing industry, whether web 3.0 is the best vehicle for horse racing industry stakeholders to attract a younger audience, and how brick-and-mortar stakeholders can participate in this trend. This panel will further explore what regulatory barriers confront the new technology. 

Aftercare for Race Horses: Who Pays? This panel will provide an assessment of the status of retired horses, including their numbers, the average cost per horse, and the projected industry cost over 5 to 10 years. Should aftercare expenses simply be a cost of doing business for horse owners, or should those expenses be shared by the entire industry? Should the wagering public pay a share? Should the state subsidize? This panel will provide a frank discussion between aftercare providers and other representatives of the racing industry. 

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.  

Networking Break

10:45 – 11:45 a.m.  

Fixed Odds and the Future of Horse Betting –What’s the real story behind fixed odds? As former New York Governor Al Smith would say, “Let’s look at the record.” Our panel pulls back the curtain on where the regulators, sports books, gaming operators, and horsemen groups stand. Who wins and who loses? The panel will also give a state roundup and explore what other innovations are on the horizon. 

• 11:45 a.m. The Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga concludes.
• 1:00 p.m. post time: Join conference attendees for a day at the races at Saratoga Race Course