Churchill Downs has entered into an agreement with card rooms Oceans 11 and Crystal Casino to partner for online poker should a bill pass to legalize and regulate the activity in California, OPR has learned.
Terms and details of the deal are not available.
The news comes as momentum continues to build for a regulated online poker bill in California, even as the larger political picture remains murky.
Churchill, home to one of the few truly iconic brands in gaming – the Kentucky Derby – currently operates one of the leading online horse racing wagering sites in TwinSpires.com.
The company has long signaled their intention to enter the regulated online poker and casino space, but has to date remained absent from the markets in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. Churchill is understood to have an online wagering platform that can support poker in its portfolio.
