Industry News
Sandy’s Racing & Gaming Celebrates Grand Opening

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear helped open the doors Thursday at Sandy’s Racing & Gaming – a $75 million entertainment facility in Eastern Kentucky that creates nearly 250 new jobs and millions of dollars in new tax revenues.
With nearly 700 historical horse racing games, two performance stages and a BetMGM Race & Sportsbook, the 75,000 square-foot facility is unlike anything else in the area.
“Last year, we promised to bring a first-class facility to Boyd County,” said Larry Lucas, Chairman of Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, which is making the investment together with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. “Today, we can say – promises made, promises kept.”
The project will also include Kentucky’s only quarter horse racetrack and an equestrian center, located on 182 acres behind Sandy’s. While track construction is officially set to begin in early 2024, Thursday’s festivities included a ceremonial blast, leveling some of the hills at the track site. The first races are set to happen there in 2025, marking continued growth for Kentucky’s thriving horse racing industry.
“Sandy’s Racing & Gaming is bringing top-tier racing, gaming and entertainment to Northeastern Kentucky, along with hundreds of new jobs for the people who call Boyd County and the surrounding region home. Congratulations to Revolutionary Racing and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for creating this exciting destination,” Gov. Beshear said.
Last summer, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission awarded the state’s ninth and final horse racing license to Revolutionary Racing Kentucky. Construction began in April and was led by Lexington’s D.W. Wilburn Construction and the Tri-State Building Trades. More than 300 local union workers were employed throughout the project and 90% of all materials and supplies were made in the US.
Amenities include a 5200 square-foot sportsbook, which features dozens of leather recliners and three cinema-sized screens. Daily entertainment will take place on two stages, which include dueling pianos, as well as local and national performers. Country star and Boyd County native Cole Chaney starred as the opening-night headliner, while last year’s “American Idol” winner Noah Thompson delivered a surprise performance.
A craft-focused kitchen offers multiple dining options, with all meat locally sourced from AW Meat House in Argillite. Menu highlights include the Big Sandy Burger, flatbreads, root beer floats made with The Peddler in Huntington, West Virginia and Sandy’s Ale – a craft beer made by Mikerphone Brewing in Illinois, which is only available at Sandy’s.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – September 8-15

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
IGT announced that its much-anticipated Wheel of Fortune Big Money Spin electronic table game (ETG) recently made its world debut at Downtown Grand Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. The vibrant standalone ETG game includes many of the attributes that have propelled the success of the Wheel of Fortune slots franchise for nearly three decades including word puzzles, wheel spins and exciting jackpot rewards. The game is accompanied by an attention-grabbing, 9-plus-feet upright video wheel that stands independent of the ETG terminals and entertains casino guests with the famous “WHEEL-OF-FORTUNE!” chant.
MGM Resorts International has announced that Corey Sanders, Chief Operating Officer, will retire from the company after more than 30 years of dedicated service and leadership. Sanders has agreed to remain COO through Dec. 31, 2025, and to serve as an advisor to the President and CEO through Dec. 31, 2026. The Company intends to name a new COO to serve as Sanders’ successor later this month. Sanders is currently MGM Resorts’ Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the company’s Las Vegas and regional properties as well as multiple corporate departments, including Hospitality, Gaming, Human Resources and Strategic Initiatives. Prior to that, he served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.
Members of Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, the Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians, the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria and Big Lagoon Rancheria gathered outside the State Capitol in Sacramento to protest Assembly Bill 831 (AB 831). If passed, the bill would limit economic opportunities available to less wealthy tribes in the state by banning legitimate online social games using sweepstakes promotions. It would also eliminate more than $1 billion of existing economic activity generated by the industry in California, and close off a potential new revenue source for the state via sensible, modern regulation and taxation.
Partnerships
Genius Sports Limited has expanded its long-term partnership with Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook (Hard Rock Bet) to power the top-rated platform with its market-leading official data, trading and marketing solutions, as well as its ground-breaking BetVision product. Genius Sports has worked in partnership with the leading operator since 2021, providing the highest quality official data and pinpoint trading solutions across top tier leagues globally, including the Premier League, Serie A, European Leagues, Liga MX, NFL and more. Hard Rock Bet will be able to provide its customers with Genius Sports’ first-of-its-kind BetVision low latency streaming solution.
Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading provider of data-driven casino intelligence and player engagement platforms, has announced that Dania Beach Casino is continuing to benefit from its deployment of the QCI Nimble platform. While the property currently focuses on the QCI Host and QCI Marketing modules, it has expressed enthusiasm about the capabilities of the new AGI56 release and its impact on future customer engagement strategies. AGI56 represents the most ambitious release in QCI’s history, with the platform undergoing a full refresh of its technology stack, improved integration of advanced analytics, and the introduction of generative AI-driven tooling through Chatalytics.com. QCI’s platform is currently deployed in more than 350 casinos worldwide.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – September 8-15 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Industry News
MediaX Agency Officially Launches Linkible

MediaX Agency, a globally recognised leader in digital PR and growth marketing, has officially launched Linkible, an AI-powered link building agency engineered to help businesses in highly competitive and regulated industries achieve stronger online authority, higher search engine rankings and sustainable organic growth.
With AI-driven outreach and industry-specific link strategies, Linkible is redefining how brands secure high-quality backlinks, increase domain authority and dominate their niches in Google search.
Linkible is purpose-built for industries where credibility and compliance are critical:
• Law Firms & Legal Marketing – Earn authoritative legal backlinks to attract clients and improve local SEO.
• SaaS Companies – Accelerate organic growth with niche placements and product-led content strategies.
• Cannabis & CBD Brands – Gain SEO visibility while staying compliant in a restricted advertising environment.
• iGaming, Casino & Gambling – Drive traffic with white-hat link strategies tailored for high-competition keywords.
• E-commerce Businesses – Build scalable backlinks to boost product visibility and drive online sales.
Key Features of Linkible
• AI-Powered Prospecting & Outreach – Identify and connect with the right publishers at scale.
• Niche-Relevant Authority Backlinks – Secure placements on trusted websites that move rankings.
• Compliance-First Approach – Tailored strategies for industries facing strict regulations.
• Transparent SEO Reporting – Real-time dashboards to track backlinks, traffic and keyword improvements.
• Scalable Growth Solutions – Flexible link building packages for startups, enterprises and agencies.
“Traditional link building is outdated and ineffective in competitive industries. With Linkible, we’re combining the power of AI with our proven PR and SEO expertise to deliver smarter, faster, and compliance-friendly link building strategies that help businesses rank higher and grow sustainably,” said Rachita Chettri, Co-Founder of MediaX Agency.
The post MediaX Agency Officially Launches Linkible appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Industry News
Allwyn Launches Player Protection Lab

Allwyn, the lottery-led gaming entertainment company, has announced the launch of Allwyn Player Protection Lab, a global responsible gaming initiative aimed at supporting novel research and innovation to advance player safety.
Opening immediately for applications, the programme will support academics and experts working in the field of responsible gaming to explore new ideas, concepts and perspectives. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals focusing on one of three key areas: digital innovation; using messaging to drive positive play; and developing effective safety tools.
Following the open call for applications, awards will be made for successful projects of up to €100,000, dependent on the scope of the prospective proposal.
The project demonstrates Allwyn’s commitment to developing global leading practice in responsible gaming. The call for applications will ensure Allwyn is casting the widest net and has the best chance to uncover new and interesting approaches to protecting players.
Nicole Garrett, Head of Responsible Gaming at Allwyn, said: “The Player Protection Lab is an exciting new avenue for Allwyn. Our responsible gaming team is seeking proposals that will encourage progress in player safety and break new ground in our industry. We hope that by opening the application process, we will have the opportunity to explore genuinely new ideas and draw lessons from other sectors.”
The call for proposals will run until 14 November.
The post Allwyn Launches Player Protection Lab appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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