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Western OTB welcomes court decision striking down law that prevented state-sanctioned sports betting

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Today, the United States Supreme Court decided to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 1992 federal law that limited gambling.

This Supreme Court decision paves the way to bring sports betting to New York State and to the customers of Central and Western New York. Western Regional Off-Track Betting and Batavia Downs Gaming are perfectly positioned with existing infrastructure to deliver a sports-betting platform to our customers in our 15 counties including the cities of Buffalo and Rochester.

As the only municipally owned gaming facility in the state, Batavia Downs Gaming is not only a strong economic driver for Central and Western New York, but it provides critical funding for community development which creates jobs, keeps families safe and helps to offset tax increases for residents.

Since its inception, Batavia Downs Gaming has generated more than $226 million to 17 municipalities and bringing sports betting to our locations will significantly increase these important contributions.

 “Legislation to allow sports betting in New York State will help grow jobs in our brick and mortar locations through Western and Central New York, and will increase the significant community development contributions we provide to our municipalities,” said Henry F. Wojtaszek, president/CEO of Batavia Downs Gaming WROTB. “We are looking forward to working with New York State officials to enable legislation that will allow this dynamic opportunity to become a reality.”

“We have been preparing for this sports betting decision and we are confident we can get the product up and running quickly, smoothly and professionally,” said Michael Nolan, chief operation officer of Batavia Downs Gaming WROTB.

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