CAW

Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) remains a hot and controversial topic and it can be hard to find data on the numbers, such as how much are they betting and how much are they winning. To answer some of those questions and to clear up what he says are misconceptions about CAWs, Scott Daruty joined ths week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. Daruty, who was the Gainesway Guest of the Week, is the president of the Elite Turf Club, the betting outlet for many CAW players. He said there...

The "guardrails" put in place by the NYRA in an attempt to limit the wagering of the computer assisted wagering players (CAW) had a clear impact over the five-day Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga. Over the five days, CAW players bet a combined $22,109,626, a major drop from 2025 when they wagered $39,989,964. That represents a decrease of 44.7%. The CAW play in 2026 accounted for 11% of the total handle. In 2025, that figure was 20.2% of handle. Beginning Feb. 5, NYRA began requiring CAW activity to cease at...

In a Zoom call with members of the racing media, NYRA lifted the curtain Friday regarding the drop in Computer Assisted Wagering play after the racing organization put certain "guardrails" in place intended to limit the wagers of the CAW players. In July 2021, NYRA became the first racing organization in the United States to establish a timing restriction for CAW activity, shutting off the win pool to CAW players with two minutes to post. A more significant step was taken in Dec. 2025 when CAW players were not allowed...

There was little question as to who would be the primary Gainesway Guest of the Week on this week's edition of the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. Trainer Cherie DeVaux not only won the GI Kentucky Derby with Golden Tempo (Curlin), she also became the first female trainer to win the race. But there were so many good storylines out of this year's Derby, that the podcast split off into three parts. In what we are calling the "TDN Writers' Room Podcast Overtime" we also featured in-depth interviews...

HONG KONG, CHINA--Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges is at the helm of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, an international racing powerhouse, for nearly two decades. He has navigated Hong Kong Racing through financial crises, political upheaval and a pandemic, and never let anyone think that his visionary sight had lost its compass. In the conversation that follows, recorded on the eve of the HKJC's international race meeting, the chairman of both the Asian Racing Federation and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities once again covered ground that will resonate well beyond Hong Kong--from...

After being implemented and put into effect on Thursday, NYRA, citing a need to upgrade its tote system, announced Friday that the new "guardrail rails" put in place regarding Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) will not go into effect until Feb. 11. With winter weather having knocked out the Saturday and Sunday cards at Aqueduct, the 11th is the next scheduled day of racing. "The guardrails requiring CAW activity to cease at 1 MTP have been suspended today to allow for technical upgrades to the tote system," read a NYRA statement....

The Week in Review - Last month, when parties on both sides of a pending class-action lawsuit over computer-assisted wagering (CAW) argued in federal court over allegations that the nation's biggest racetracks have conspired with "insider" high-volume bettors to rig pari-mutuel pools at the expense of small-scale horseplayers, the defendants in the case-the New York Racing Association (NYRA), The Stronach Group (TSG), Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), Racing and Gaming Services (RGS), AmTote International, United Tote, and Elite Turf Club-wrote letters to the judge purporting that plaintiff Ryan Dickey was using...

In the days leading up to and after Christmas, parties on both sides of the pending class-action lawsuit involving computer-assisted wagering (CAW) have sparred in federal court over whether allegations that the nation's biggest racetracks have conspired with "insider" high-volume bettors to rig pari-mutuel pools at the expense of average horseplayers constitute valid claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The defendants in the lawsuit-which include The Stronach Group (TSG), Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), the New York Racing Association (NYRA), AmTote International, United Tote and Elite Turf...

What will racing look like in 10 years? We asked some of racing's best and brightest to give us their predictions. Corey Johnsen, Longtime track executive, Thoroughbred owner/breeder Anyone who reads this publication understands that our sport has plenty of problems. Issues such as aftercare, ADW/CAW, decoupling, shrinking foal crops and the regulation of safety and integrity dominate the landscape and need to be solved. There have been some recent success stories in working together, so, I am going to focus on some developments which will positively affect our industry...

What will racing look like in 10 years? We asked some of racing's best and brightest to give us their predictions. Want to submit an answer? Email suefinley@thetdn.com BARRY IRWIN, CEO OF TEAM VALOR INTERNATIONAL Racing will contract in size and be conducted at fewer venues. The names Stronach and 1st Racing will disappear and become as remote as the names Adena Springs and Magna. NYRA and TwinSpires will control the game. In 2036 there will only be racing in New York (Belmont/Saratoga), Florida (Ocala), Maryland (Pimlico), Kentucky (Keeneland, Churchill,...

Come January of next year, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) will limit Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) play one minute to post in nearly all pools, according to NYRA president and CEO David O'Rourke during Tuesday's Global Symposium on Racing in Tuscon, Arizona. By far the most aggressive step taken yet to manage CAW play by any track operator in the country, this will mean that all CAW players will be limited to a maximum six-bets per second when they bet into the NYRA product within one minute to post...

The 2025 Global Symposium on Racing, hosted by the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program (RTIP), will offer a free live stream of the panel discussing CAW Growth and the importance of balancing it with racing' long-term health, it was announced via press release. "The Sustainability Algorithm: Balancing CAW Growth with Racing's Long-Term health" will be available to the public for free via live stream and video on demand. The session is set to begin Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 9:45am MST. More information and access to the live stream...