MTR Gaming Group responds to ruling

12 February 2007

CHESTER, West Virginia – (PRESS RELEASE)--MTR Gaming Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS: MNTG) commented today on the decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court granting the motions of its wholly owned subsidiary, Presque Isle Downs, Inc., for expedited consideration and summary relief to quash a Petition for Review of the Order of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approving Presque Isle Downs for a license to operate slot machines. The petition had been filed by Citizens Against Gambling Subsidies, Inc., a recently formed non-profit Pennsylvania Corporation, and Paul F. Curry, a former City Solicitor of Erie.

Edson R. "Ted" Arneault, President and CEO of MTR Gaming Group, said, "Obviously, we are pleased with the Court's ruling and grateful for the Court's quick action. We believed that the petition was frivolous because Mr. Curry and his organization lacked standing and because the substantive allegations lacked merit. We intend to seek redress for the damages the petition caused."

Having cleared the legal hurdle, Presque Isle Downs and the Gaming Control Board may now proceed to open the facility. The Company is ready to open the casino and restaurants to the public: construction of the casino is complete, the necessary liquor and restaurant licenses and permits have been issued, nearly all of the 2,000 slot machines are connected to the State's central monitoring system, approximately 650 employees have been trained, and the food and beverage outlets are serving hot meals. "Indeed," Arneault explained, "we have been advised by regulatory personnel that we are 'ahead of the curve' operationally, for which we are proud of our employees and pre-opening team."

Despite the Court's expedited consideration, however, there is simply insufficient time for the Gaming Control Board to conduct all of its pre-opening procedures and inspections and oversee the two required test/charity dates prior to the planned February 15 opening. Additionally, the Gaming Control Board currently lacks the requisite members to approve the order to open the casino. The newly appointed member, a legislative appointee who was appointed January 29, 2007, awaits completion (a maximum of 30 days by law) of the statutorily required State Police criminal background check before he can formally join the Board. All four legislative appointees must be on the Board before it can give the final approval to open the casino. Although the Gaming Control Board had the requisite members between the December 20, 2006 approval of Presque Isle Downs' permanent Category 1 Slot Machine Operators License and the December 27 departure of a Board member, the Company understands that the Control Board could not issue the necessary orders during that window because of the pendency of Mr. Curry's petition.

Arneault continued: "We know that our employees and would be patrons are frustrated by the delay and that the community is anxious for the entertainment that Presque Isle Downs will provide. We at MTR Gaming have been looking forward to this day for more than five and one-half years since we filed our application for a racing license in 2001. We have defended each legal challenge against our racing license and now our slots license through the State Supreme Court. Agents of the Gaming Control Board are on site performing their pre-opening procedures and we are working closely with them every day to open our facility as soon as possible after the confirmation of the final Board member. We hope to open before the end of this month."