NYRA Cut Off Six More Simulcasting Sites

"The new cuts, which were announced by Charles Hayward, NYRA's chief executive officer, will take effect on Jan. 31. NYRA will not restore its signal to any of the 10 sites unless they comply with a strict code of disclosure requirements that is being developed, Hayward said.

"The steps taken by NYRA are the strongest of any racetrack operator since the release of the indictment, which accuses an illegal gambling operation of betting more than $200 million through four simulcast shops that attract big players by offering rebates. Five shops were mentioned in the indictment, and NYRA cut the signal to four of them last week. The fifth shop has gone out of business.

"Hayward said the association made the most recent decision because of concerns over the transparency of the shops and their business practices, not because of a philosophical objection to rebating. None of the shops has been charged with a crime.

"…The shops that NYRA plans to cut off include Racing and Gaming Services, based in St. Kitts; Lakes Region Greyhound Park in New Hampshire; Coeur d'Alene Casino, an American Indian operation in Idaho; Excelsior Casino in Aruba; and two Australian operations, Capital Sports Ltd. and Darwin All Sports. Two officials of Lakes Region, Richard Hart and Jonathan Broome, were named in the indictment as principals in a company that recruited bettors for a rebate shop based in the Isle of Man…"