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 Remarks

• Mayor Ron Kim, Saratoga Springs

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.  (1 NYS CLE credit hour)

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. 

Moderator: 

• Patrick Brown, Brown & Weinraub PLLC, Organizer Saratoga Racing and Gaming Conference  

Presenters: 

• Jeff Gural, Chairman American Racing and Entertainment and Owner, Tioga Downs Casino Resort
• Kevin Jones, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Legal Officer, Genting Americas Inc.  
• Mike Kane, President and Executive Director, New York Gaming Association 
• Honorable David Paterson, former Governor of New York, Senior Vice President and Senior Advisor, Las Vegas Sands Corporation
• Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, New York State Assembly, Chairman of the Committee on Racing and Wagering 

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?

Moderator: 

• Marlene Warner, Executive Director, The Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health 

Presenters: 

• John Coppola, Executive Director, New York Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers Inc. 
• David Donovan, President, New York State Broadcasters Association
• Bill Pascrell III, Partner, Princeton Public Affairs Group    

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?

Moderator: 

• Kurt Freedlund, Principal, Spectrum Gaming Lottery Group

Presenters: 

• Andrew Collier, Deputy Commissioner, Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery 
• Brad Cummings, Founder and CEO, EQL Games 
• Carter Vance, General Counsel, Jackpocket   

11:00 – 11:30 a.m.  

Networking Break

11:30 – 12:30pm  (1 NYS CLE credit hour)

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? 

Moderator: 

• Bennett Liebman, Government Lawyer in Residence, Albany Law School 

Presenters: 

• Jessica Feil, Vice President Regulatory Affairs and Compliance, OpenBet
• Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President of International, 1/ST Technology 
• Dan Shapiro, Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer, Caesars Digital
• John Signor, President and CEO, Capital Off Track Betting

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.  

Keynote Luncheon

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.   (1 NYS CLE credit hour)                      

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? 

Moderator: 

• Lynne Levin Kaufman, Co-Chair Gaming Practice Group, Cooper Levenson

Presenters: 

• Adrian King, Co-Leader Gaming Team and State Attorneys General Team, Ballard Spahr
• Michael Pollock, Managing Director, Spectrum Gaming Group
• May Scheve Reardon, Executive Director, Missouri Lottery
• Katherine Spilde, Professor, San Diego State University  

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. 

Moderator:

• Brad Fischer, Senior Associate, Orrick 

Presenters:

• Jordan Bender, Senior Equity Research Analyst, JMP Securities
• Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner, Sharp Alpha Advisors 
• David Isaacson, Senior Vice President, Spectrum Gaming Capital

(1 NYS CLE credit hour)

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. 

Moderator: 

• Karl Sleight, Partner, Lippes Mathias

Presenters: 

• Melanie laCour, Associate, Saiber LLC's Gaming Law and Administrative & Regulatory Groups
• Stacey Rowland, General Counsel, Genting Americas
• Louis S. Rogacki, AAG, Deputy Director, New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement 

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.  

Networking Break

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.  (1 NYS CLE credit hour)

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?

Moderator: 

• Joe Weinert, Executive Vice President, Spectrum Gaming Group 

Presenters: 

• Senator Joe Addabbo, New York State Senate, Chairman, New York State Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee
• Howard Glaser, Global Head of Government Affairs and Legislative Counsel, Light & Wonder
• Samuel Gerrity, CEO, Saratoga Casino Hotel
• John Pappas, State Advocacy Director, iDEA Growth 

5:30 – 8:30 p.m. 

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

Welcoming remarks from RGCS Organizer Pat Brown and Patsy, The Man in Black

7:00 – 8:30 a.m.  

Continental Breakfast

7:00 – 9:00 a.m.  

Registration

8:15 – 8:30 a.m. 

Opening remarks 

• Joe Appelbaum, President, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association 

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.   (1 NYS CLE credit hour)

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. 

Moderator: 

• Alan Foreman, Chairman and CEO, Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Inc.

Presenters: 

• John C. Kimmel, V.M.D., Horse Trainer
• Lisa Lazarus, CEO, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority
• Ed Martin, President and CEO, Association of Racing Commissioners International 
• Rob Williams, Executive Director, New York State Gaming Commission  

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. 

Moderator: 

• Karl Sleight, Partner, Lippes Mathias

Presenters: 

• Dan Healy, Co-Founder and CEO, PickUp 
• Troy Levy, CEO, Tropical Racing Inc, Founder and Vice President Game of Silks
• Doug Reed,  Senior Pari-Mutuel Associate, Spectrum Gaming Group 

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. 

Moderator: 

• Chris Wittstruck, Equine Attorney, Director Standardbred Owners’ Association of New York

Presenters:

• Dr. Patricia M. Hogan, VMD, ACVS Hogan Equine
• Rick Schosberg, Thoroughbred Horse Trainer, NYTHA Board Member, TAA Board Member
• Natalie Voss, Editor-In-Chief, Paulick Report

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.  

Networking Break

10:45 – 12:00 p.m.   (1 NYS CLE credit hour)

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. 

Moderator: 

• Dan Hartman, Director, Colorado Division of Gaming

Presenters:

• Joe Asher, President Sports Betting, IGT
• Dallas Baker, Head of Business Development, BetMakers US
• Michele Fischer, Vice President, SIS Content Services Inc. 
• Paul Hannon, Senior Vice President Corporate Development, PointsBet USA
• David O’Rourke, President and CEO, New York Racing Association 

12:00 p.m.  The Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga concludes.

1:00 p.m.    Join conference attendees for a day at the races at Saratoga Race Course

The application for New York CLE credit has been submitted and is under review by the Continuing Legal Education Board.  

The application for Nevada CLE credit has been submitted and is under review by the State Bar of Nevada.

We have a limited number of scholarships made available by our sponsors.  

Full and partial scholarships will be provided to attorneys demonstrating financial need.  If you wish to apply for a scholarship, please contact Richard Doss at rdoss@spectrumgaming.com.