Item 1. Business
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Overview
Churchill Downs Incorporated ("CDI" or the "Company") has been creating extraordinary entertainment experiences for nearly 150 years, beginning with the Company’s most iconic and enduring asset, the Kentucky Derby. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, CDI has expanded through the development of live and historical racing entertainment venues, the growth of the TwinSpires horse racing online wagering business, expanded pari-mutuel content and technology services to B2C platforms, and the operation and development of regional casino gaming properties.
Business Segments
The Company manages its business through three reportable segments: Live and Historical Racing, TwinSpires, and Gaming. Financial information about these segments is set forth in Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, contained within this Report.
Live and Historical Racing
The Live and Historical Racing segment primarily includes live and historical pari-mutuel racing related revenue and expenses at Churchill Downs Racetrack and our historical racing properties in Kentucky, Virginia, and New Hampshire.
Our Live and Historical Racing properties earn commissions from pari-mutuel wagering on live and historical races, simulcast fees earned from other wagering sites, fees from racing event-related services including admissions, personal seat licenses, sponsorships, television rights, and other miscellaneous services, hotel services, and revenue from food and beverage services.
Churchill Downs Racetrack
Churchill Downs Racetrack is in Louisville, Kentucky and is an internationally known thoroughbred racing operation best known as the home of our iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. Thoroughbred racing has been conducted at Churchill Downs Racetrack since 1875. The Kentucky Derby is the longest continuously held annual sporting event in the U.S. and is the first race of the annual series of races for 3-year-old thoroughbreds known as the Triple Crown. The demographic profile of our guests, global television viewership, and long-running nature of this iconic event are attractive to sponsors and corporate partners, especially those with luxury and/or marquee brands.
We conducted 71 live race days in 2021 and 76 live race days in 2022. During 2023, 72 live race days were conducted, however 14 of these race days were relocated to Ellis Park Racing and Gaming ("Ellis Park"). In 2024, we anticipate conducting approximately 83 live race days at the Churchill Downs Racetrack.
Churchill Downs Racetrack is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and a variety of areas, structures, and buildings that provide reserved seating for our patrons. Churchill Downs Racetrack has one of the largest 4K video boards in the world sitting 80 feet above the ground and measuring 171 feet wide by 90 feet tall. This video board provides views of the finish line and the entire race for on-track guests, including those in the infield and guests along the entire front side of the racetrack. The facility also has permanent lighting to accommodate night races. We have a saddling paddock, and the stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. We have a state-of-the-art equine medical center and quarantine barns on the backside area of Churchill Downs Racetrack which reinforces our ongoing commitment to equine safety and supports our long-term international growth strategy. The Churchill Downs Racetrack facility also includes a simulcast wagering facility. We also own 83 acres of land at our auxiliary training facility, which is five miles from Churchill Downs Racetrack.
In 2002, we transferred title of the Churchill Downs Racetrack facility to the City of Louisville, Kentucky and entered into a 30-year lease for the facility as part of the financing of improvements to the Churchill Downs Racetrack facility. We can reacquire the facility at any time for $1.00 subject to the terms of the lease.
In July 2021, we announced three major multi-year capital investments to transform key areas of Churchill Downs Racetrack: the Homestretch Club, the First Turn Experience, and the Paddock Project. The Homestretch Club opened for the 148 th Kentucky Derby in May 2022. The Homestretch Club project has 3,250 premium reserved seats which include 2,550 stadium club seats, 66 covered terraced dining tables, 30 Trackside Lounges offering a "courtside seat" experience, five private VIP hospitality lounges, and an 18,600 square-foot indoor hospitality space with a grand staircase and 95-foot feature bar.
The Company invested $90.0 million in the First Turn Experience which opened for the 149 th Kentucky Derby in May 2023. The First Turn Experience provides 5,100 permanent covered stadium seats and added a new 50,000 square-foot climate-controlled first floor hospitality venue with 2,000 reserved dining room tables and a trackside viewing terrace.
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The Company is also investing up to $200.0 million to enhance the experience for nearly every guest. The Paddock Project will improve the flow of guests throughout the paddock, create a larger paddock walking ring for viewing the horses prior to the races, create two new clubs in the area on the first floor under the Twin Spires that will provide views of the paddock and views of the tunnel that the horses walk through, new hospitality and other amenities for guests in certain areas of the third-floor clubhouse seats, and new terraces overlooking the paddock. The Paddock Project is scheduled for completion in time for the 150 th Kentucky Derby in May 2024.
In July 2023, we also announced a $14.0 million renovation project that will update and refresh the 61 Jockey Club Suites and associated areas along the homestretch. The Jockey Club renovation is scheduled for completion in time for the 150 th Kentucky Derby in May 2024.
Historical Racing Properties
The following table summarizes key information regarding our current and planned historical racing properties:
State Property City/ Location Floor Space (Sq. ft.) Historical Racing Machines ("HRMs") Retail Race & Sports Book (a)
Kentucky Derby City Gaming Louisville, Kentucky 55,000 1,300 ü
Kentucky Derby City Gaming Downtown Louisville, Kentucky 43,000 500 ü
Kentucky Turfway Park Northern Kentucky 45,000 850 ü
Kentucky Newport Northern Kentucky 23,000 460 ü
Kentucky Oak Grove Southwestern Kentucky 180,000 1,230 ü
Kentucky Ellis Park Northwestern Kentucky 40,000 300 ü
Kentucky Owensboro (b)
Northwestern Kentucky 28,000 600 ü
New Hampshire Chasers (c)
Salem, New Hampshire 4,000 (c) N/A
Virginia Rosie's New Kent / Central Virginia 127,000 570 N/A
Virginia Rosie's Richmond / Central Virginia 54,000 700 N/A
Virginia Rosie's Dumfries / Northern Virginia 19,000 160 N/A
Virginia The Rose (d)
Dumfries / Northern Virginia 58,000 1,650 N/A
Virginia Rosie's Hampton / Southern Virginia 38,000 700 N/A
Virginia Rosie's Emporia / Southern Virginia 22,000 150 N/A
Virginia Rosie's Collinsville / Southern Virginia 2,000 40 N/A
Virginia Rosie's Vinton / Western Virginia 15,000 470 N/A
Total 753,000 9,680
(a) The Company's retail sports betting business is included in the TwinSpires segment.
(b) The Company plans to open the Owensboro HRM entertainment venue in the first quarter of 2025.
(c) The Company plans to build a new charitable gaming facility to accommodate HRMs and table games.
(d) The Company plans to open The Rose (Dumfries) late in the third quarter of 2024.
Kentucky
Louisville
Derby City Gaming & Hotel ("Derby City Gaming") is a state-of-the-art HRM facility located at the Churchill Downs Racetrack auxiliary training facility and has a simulcast center and a dining facility.
In 2023, the Company invested $78.0 million to expand the facility and to build a five-story hotel with 123 rooms including amenities to better serve and attract guests. The expansion includes a VIP gaming area, a new sports bar, a stage for live entertainment, and an upscale-casual restaurant and bar for gaming and hotel guests. The new gaming space and hotel opened during the second quarter of 2023.
In December 2023, the Company invested $90.0 million to build Derby City Gaming Downtown ("DCG Downtown") in an existing building in downtown Louisville. DCG Downtown has a gaming area with approximately 500 HRMs, a main-level
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sports bar with a stage for live entertainment, a premium bourbon bar, and an elegant wine lounge for guests, including locals, tourists, and convention attendees.
Southwestern Kentucky
Oak Grove Racing & Gaming ("Oak Grove") is a premier state-of-the-art live harness racing and HRM venue located on 240 acres approximately one-hour north of Nashville, Tennessee in Oak Grove, Kentucky. Oak Grove owns and operates a harness racing track, 128-room hotel, and simulcast and HRM facility with an event center and food and beverage venues. Oak Grove also has a 3,000-person capacity outdoor amphitheater and stage, a state-of-the-art equestrian center, and a recreational vehicle park. Oak Grove conducts approximately 30 live racing days a year.
Northern Kentucky
Turfway Park Racing & Gaming ("Turfway Park") opened in September 2022 as a state-of-the-art live racing and historical racing entertainment venue with a sports bar and restaurants just south of Cincinnati, Ohio in Florence, Kentucky. Turfway Park owns and operates a thoroughbred racetrack and conducts approximately 70 live racing days a year.
Newport Racing & Gaming is an HRM entertainment venue and simulcast area that operates as an extension of Turfway Park located in Newport, Kentucky.
Northwestern Kentucky
The Company acquired Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky on September 26, 2022. Ellis Park owns and operates a thoroughbred racetrack and conducts approximately 25 live race days a year. Ellis Park also has a simulcast and HRM facility with food and beverage offerings.
In June 2023, the Company announced it plans to invest approximately $100.0 million in a new HRM entertainment venue on the east side of Owensboro with an expected completion in the first quarter of 2025.
Virginia
The Company acquired Colonial Downs Racetrack ("Colonial Downs") and six historical racing entertainment venues across Virginia as part of the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment LLC ("P2E") on November 1, 2022 ("P2E Transaction"). Colonial Downs has a dirt track, the widest turf track oval in North America, a simulcast area, food and beverage offerings, and two off-track betting facilities ("OTBs"). Colonial Downs conducted 27 live racing days in 2023 and plans to conduct 28 live racing days in 2024.
The Company also invested $30.0 million in a seventh Virginia based HRM entertainment venue that opened on September 26, 2023 in Emporia, Virginia with 150 HRMs and a restaurant and bar.
The Company is investing approximately $460.0 million to construct The Rose Gaming Resort ("The Rose") in Dumfries, Virginia with a 102-room hotel and 1,650 HRMs as well as a number of food and beverage options. The Rose has the potential to be expanded to up to 1,800 HRMs. The Rose is scheduled to be completed late in the third quarter of 2024.
New Hampshire
On September 2, 2022, the Company completed the acquisition of Chasers Poker Room ("Chasers") located in Salem, New Hampshire. Chasers is a charitable gaming facility located approximately 30 miles from Boston, Massachusetts, that offers poker and a variety of table games. The Company plans to develop an expanded charitable gaming facility in Salem to accommodate HRMs and table games.
TwinSpires
The TwinSpires segment includes the revenue and expenses from pari-mutuel wagers through our advance deposit wagering ("ADW") business, our retail and online sports betting business, totalisator services provided by United Tote, and our HRM technology provider Exacta Systems ("Exacta"). TwinSpires is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
ADW
TwinSpires operates the online horse racing wagering business for TwinSpires.com, BetAmerica.com, and other white-label platforms; facilitates high dollar wagering by certain customers; and provides the Bloodstock Research Information Services platform for horse racing statistical data. TwinSpires is one of the largest and most profitable legal online horse racing wagering platforms in the U.S. TwinSpires accepts pari-mutuel wagers through ADW from customers residing in certain states who establish and fund an account from which these customers may place wagers via telephone, mobile applications, or through the Internet. This business is licensed as a multi-jurisdictional simulcasting and interactive wagering hub in the state of Oregon and holds licenses from various other states where applicable. This business also offers customers streaming video of live horse races, replays, and an assortment of racing and handicapping information. BetAmerica.com is an online wagering business
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licensed under TwinSpires that offers wagering on horse racing throughout the U.S. We also provide technology services to third parties, and we earn commissions from white label ADW products and services. Under these arrangements, we typically provide an ADW platform and related operational services while the third party typically provides the brand, marketing, and limited customer functions. We announced two of these business-to-business agreements in 2022. On September 8, 2022, we announced a multi-year agreement to enable FanDuel, a sports book and mobile betting operator, to create a fully integrated and seamless wagering experience with a single wallet for horse racing and sports with exclusive TV rights to racing content and non-exclusive Kentucky Derby sponsorship rights for sports wagering. On November 29, 2022, the Company announced a multi-year agreement to provide DraftKings ADW technology and other services. Both agreements began in early 2023.
Sports Betting
Our TwinSpires sports betting business includes the results of our retail sports books at our wholly owned properties and online sports betting through third parties. We have executed strategic market access agreements with Bet365 in Pennsylvania, Golden Nugget in Indiana, and various market access partners in Kentucky. The Company also operates retail sports betting at certain of its racetracks and HRM and gaming facilities.
United Tote
United Tote manufactures and operates pari-mutuel wagering systems for racetracks, OTBs, and other pari-mutuel wagering businesses. United Tote provides totalisator services which accumulate wagers, calculate payoffs, and displays wagering data to patrons who wager on horse races. United Tote has contracts to provide totalisator services to several third-party racetracks, OTBs, and other pari-mutuel wagering businesses and provides these services at our facilities. On August 11, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement to sell 49% of United Tote, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company to NYRA Content Management Solutions, LLC, a subsidiary of the New York Racing Association. The Company has received a deposit on the pending transaction of $14.4 million. The transaction is subject to usual and customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory notices and approvals and is expected to close during the first half of 2024.
Exacta
On August 22, 2023, the Company completed the acquisition of Exacta. Exacta is a leading provider of central determinate system technology in HRMs across the country. Exacta's system architecture supports multiple game vendors and virtually unlimited math modeling capabilities on a single central determinate system enabling Exacta to deliver a diverse gaming library to Company owned and third-party HRM entertainment venues in Kentucky, Virginia, Wyoming, and New Hampshire.
Gaming
The Gaming segment includes revenue and expenses for the casino properties and associated racetracks which support the casino license. The Gaming segment generates revenue and expenses from slot machines, table games, video lottery terminals ("VLTs"), video poker, HRMs, ancillary food and beverage services, hotel services, commission on pari-mutuel wagering, racing event-related services, and other miscellaneous operations.
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The following table summarizes key information regarding our current and planned gaming properties:
State Property Acres Casino Space (Sq. ft.) Slots and Video Lottery Terminals (a)
Table Games Hotel Rooms Retail Sports Book (b)
Wholly owned
Florida Calder Casino 54 106,000 1,080 6 N/A N/A
Indiana Terre Haute Casino Resort (c)
48 36,000 1,000 34 122 ü
Iowa Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Sioux City 15 41,000 660 20 54 ü
Louisiana Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots and Video Services LLC 145 33,000 2,030 N/A N/A ü
Maine Oxford Casino and Hotel 97 27,000 970 24 107 N/A
Maryland Ocean Downs Casino and Racetrack 167 70,000 880 18 N/A ü
Mississippi Harlow's Casino Resort and Spa 85 33,000 670 20 105 ü
Mississippi Riverwalk Casino Hotel 22 25,000 590 11 76 ü
New York del Lago Resort and Casino 83 99,000 1,670 80 205 ü
Pennsylvania Presque Isle Downs and Casino 270 61,000 1,540 34 N/A ü
Equity Investments
Illinois Rivers Casino Des Plaines 21 78,000 1,520 120 N/A ü
Ohio Miami Valley Gaming and Racing 120 190,000 2,200 N/A N/A ü
Total 799,000 14,810 367 669
(a) Includes HRMs and video poker machines at Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots and Video Services LLC.
(b) The Company's retail sports betting business at its wholly owned properties is included in the TwinSpires segment.
(c) The Company plans to open the Terre Haute Casino Resort in the second quarter of 2024.
Wholly owned gaming properties
Florida
Calder Casino ("Calder") in Miami Gardens, Florida is located near Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. Calder offers two dining facilities and an entertainment venue. On June 17, 2022, the Company closed on the sale of 115.7 acres of land near Calder for $291.0 million, or approximately $2.5 million per acre, to Link Logistics Real Estate, a Blackstone portfolio company. The Company still owns 15-20 acres that may be sold for future development.
Indiana
The Company is investing up to $290.0 million in the development of the Terre Haute Casino Resort ("Terre Haute") in Terre Haute, Indiana. Terre Haute will be a gaming entertainment venue featuring 400,000 square-feet space with 1,000 slot machines, 34 table games, a 122-room luxury hotel, and several food and beverage offerings. The Terre Haute casino is scheduled to be completed in early April 2024 and the Terre Haute hotel is scheduled to be completed by the middle of May 2024.
Iowa
As part of the P2E Transaction, the Company acquired Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Sioux City, which is a gaming facility with a hotel, several food and drink offerings, and event spaces.
Louisiana
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots ("Fair Grounds") is a gaming facility and racecourse with a bar, a simulcast facility, a dirt and turf track, and a stabling area. Fair Grounds conducts approximately 80 live racing days each year. The facility includes clubhouse and grandstand seating for approximately 5,000 guests, a general admissions area, and several dining facilities. The stable area consists of barns that can accommodate approximately 1,900 horses and living quarters for approximately 130
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people. Fair Grounds also operates over 500 HRMs in 15 OTBs and Video Services LLC ("VSI") is the owner and operator of video poker machines in 12 of those OTBs in Louisiana.
Maine
Oxford Casino and Hotel, located in Oxford, Maine, is a gaming facility with a hotel and a dining facility.
Maryland
Ocean Downs Casino and Racetrack, located in Berlin, Maryland, is a gaming facility with several dining options and a racetrack that conducts approximately 45 live harness racing days each year.
Mississippi
Harlow’s Casino Resort and Spa is a gaming facility and hotel with two dining facilities in Greenville, Mississippi. Riverwalk Casino Hotel is a gaming facility and hotel with two dining facilities in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
New York
As part of the P2E Transaction, the Company acquired del Lago Resort and Casino in Waterloo, New York, which is a gaming facility and a hotel with several dining options.
Pennsylvania
Presque Isle Downs and Casino is a gaming facility with three dining facilities, an entertainment venue and thoroughbred racetrack that conducts approximately 80 live racing days each year.
Equity Investments
Illinois
In March 2019, the Company acquired 61.3% equity ownership in Midwest Gaming Holdings, LLC ("Midwest Gaming"), the parent company of Rivers Casino Des Plaines ("Rivers Des Plaines"). Rivers Des Plaines is a gaming entertainment venue located on 21 acres and has seven dining facilities, and an approximate 5,000 square-foot state-of-the-art BetRivers Sports Bar. During 2022, Rivers Des Plaines expanded the gaming floors to add approximately 850 additional gaming positions and a new restaurant, a 22-table poker room, and a 10,000 square-foot ballroom for private events and live entertainment.
Ohio
The Company has a 50% equity investment in Miami Valley Gaming and Racing ("MVG"). MVG is a gaming entertainment venue with harness racetrack, racing simulcast center, and a retail sports book.
All Other
We have aggregated Arlington International Racecourse ("Arlington") as well as certain corporate operations, and other immaterial joint ventures in All Other to reconcile to consolidated results.
Arlington
On February 15, 2023, the Company sold its property at Arlington Heights, Illinois to the Chicago Bears for $197.2 million. For more information, refer to Note 4, Dispositions to the notes to consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Corporate
Corporate includes miscellaneous and other revenue, compensation expense, professional fees and other general and administrative expense not allocated to our segments.
Competition
Overview
We operate in a highly competitive industry with many participants, some of which have financial and other resources that are greater than ours. The industry faces competition from a variety of sources for discretionary consumer spending, including spectator sports, sports wagering, and other entertainment and gaming options. Our brick-and-mortar casinos compete with traditional and Native American casinos, VLTs, state-sponsored lotteries, and other forms of legalized gaming in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.
Legalized gambling is currently permitted in various forms in many states and Canada. Other jurisdictions could legalize gambling in the future, and established gaming jurisdictions could award additional gaming licenses or permit the expansion of
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existing gaming operations. If additional gaming opportunities become available near our racing or gaming operations, such gaming operations could have a material adverse impact on our business.
In May 2018, the United States Supreme Court struck down the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which had effectively banned sports wagering in most states. Removal of the ban gives states the authority to authorize sports wagering.
Live and Historical Racing
In 2023, approximately 32,000 thoroughbred horse races were conducted in the U.S., which was down 5% compared to 2022. As a racetrack operator, we compete for horses with other racetracks running live racing meets at or near the same time as our races. Our ability to compete is substantially dependent on the racing calendar, number of horses racing, and purse sizes. As a content provider, we compete for wagering dollars in the simulcast market with other racetracks conducting races at or near the same times as our races. In recent years, competition has increased as more states legalize gaming and allow slot machines at racetracks with mandatory purse contributions. Our HRM entertainment venues in Kentucky, Virginia, and New Hampshire compete with regional casinos in the area and other forms of legal and illegal gaming.
TwinSpires
ADW
Our TwinSpires ADW business competes with other ADW businesses for both customers and racing content, as well as brick-and-mortar racetracks, casinos, OTBs, and other forms of legal and illegal sports betting.
Sports Betting
Our TwinSpires sports betting business competes for customers with retail, mobile, and online offerings from commercial brick-and-mortar casinos and racetracks. We also compete with daily fantasy sports gaming companies that are expanding into mobile and online sports betting and iGaming, international sports betting businesses looking to expand into the U.S. market, and other forms of legal and illegal sports betting and iGaming operations.
Gaming
Our Gaming properties operate in highly competitive environments and primarily compete for customers with other casinos in the surrounding regional gaming markets. Our Gaming properties compete to a lesser extent with state-sponsored lotteries, off-track wagering, card parlors, online gambling, and other forms of legalized gaming in the U.S.
Human Capital
We believe our human capital is material to our operations and core to the long-term success of our Company. Our focus is on attracting innovative and collaborative team members who want to build their skills in a successful and growing set of businesses focused on creating unique experiences for our guests.
Our People
As of December 31, 2023, we had a total of approximately 7,970 team members, of which approximately 5,660 are full-time employees. The number of seasonal employees fluctuates significantly through the course of the year primarily due to the seasonal nature of our properties that conduct live racing. We have the highest level of seasonal team members during the second quarter when we traditionally run the Kentucky Derby.
As of December 31, 2023, approximately 1,120 employees were covered by 12 collective bargaining agreements. We have experienced no material interruptions of operations due to disputes with our team members.
Diversity and Inclusion
We believe that a diverse workforce fosters innovation and cultivates a high-performance culture that leverages the unique perspectives of every team member to profitably grow our businesses. The Company’s Board of Directors and executive management team includes diverse individuals based on gender and race. The Company benefits from the diverse experiences of our directors and management that individually and collectively create a high-performance culture focused on executing our strategic priorities to protect and grow our businesses effectively and efficiently.
We believe diversity and inclusion helps the Company attract the best talent to grow our businesses and enables our businesses to attract and delight customers and consumers. The Kentucky Derby is a pillar of our community that provides the opportunity for our team members and the community to raise significant funding for charities that support important aspects of our broader communities including fostering diversity and inclusion, food, shelter, education, and health related non-profits. The Company also provides donations to non-profit organizations that support these initiatives within our communities.
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Talent Acquisition, Development and Retention
We invest in attracting, developing, and retaining our team members. Our philosophy is to communicate a clear purpose and strategy, set challenging goals, drive accountability, continuously assess, develop, and advance talent, and to embrace a leadership-driven talent strategy. Our Company enables team members to grow in their current roles as well as to have opportunities to build new skills in other parts of the Company. We review talent and succession plans with our Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors periodically throughout the year. The process focuses on accelerating talent development, strengthening succession pipelines, and advancing diversity in gender, race, and experience.
Compensation, Benefits, Safety and Wellness
We strive to offer market competitive salaries and wages for our team members, and we offer comprehensive health and retirement benefits to eligible employees. Our core health and welfare benefits are supplemented with specific programs to manage or improve common health conditions and to provide a variety of voluntary benefits and paid time away from work programs. We also provide several innovative programs designed to promote physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Our commitment to the safety of our employees, customers, and community remains a top priority, and we have safety programs at all our properties to facilitate identification and implementation of safety practices.
Governmental Regulations and Potential Legislative Changes
We are subject to various federal, state, local, and international laws and regulations that affect our businesses. The ownership, operation, and management of our Live and Historical Racing, TwinSpires, and Gaming segments are subject to regulation under the laws and regulations of each of the jurisdictions in which we operate. Our businesses and properties are also subject to legislative actions at both the federal and state level.
Live and Historical Racing Regulations
Horse racing is a highly regulated industry. In the U.S., interstate pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing is subject to the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, as amended in 2000 ("IHA"). Under the IHA, racetracks and ADWs can accept interstate off-track wagers if the racetracks and ADWs have approvals from (1) the host horse racetrack including a written agreement with the horsemen’s group, if applicable, (2) the host racing commission, and (3) the off-track racing commission. If these requirements are met, racetracks can commingle wagers from different racetracks and wagering facilities and broadcast horse racing events to other licensed establishments.
In the U.S., individual states regulate the operations of racetracks located within their respective jurisdictions with the intent to, among other things, protect the public from unfair and illegal gambling practices, generate tax revenue, license racetracks and operators and prevent organized crime from being involved in the industry. Although the specific form may vary, states that regulate horse racing generally do so through a horse racing commission or other gambling regulatory authority. In general, regulatory authorities perform background checks on all racetrack owners prior to granting the necessary operating licenses. Horse owners, trainers, jockeys, drivers, stewards, judges, and backstretch personnel are also subject to licensing by governmental authorities.
The total number of days on which each racetrack conducts live racing may fluctuate annually based on applications and approvals.
Kentucky
In Kentucky, horse racing racetracks and HRM facilities are subject to the licensing and regulation of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission ("KHRC"). Licenses to conduct live thoroughbred and standardbred racing meets, to participate in simulcasting, to operate HRM facilities, and to accept advance deposit wagers from Kentucky residents are approved annually by the KHRC based upon applications submitted by the racetracks in Kentucky. Changes in Kentucky laws or regulations may limit or otherwise materially affect the types of HRMs that may be conducted and such changes, if enacted, could have an adverse impact on our Kentucky HRM operations.
In 2023, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a bill to authorize the KHRC to regulate sports betting. Only licensed racetracks and their extensions can operate retail sports betting. Each racetrack is allowed to contract with up to three providers to carryout online or retail sports betting. Retail sports betting commenced on September 7, 2023 and online sports betting began on September 28, 2023.
Louisiana
In Louisiana, the 2021 Historical Horse Racing Act ("2021 HHR Act") allows OTBs to have up to 50 HRMs. On October 25, 2022, a number of individual plaintiffs associated with video poker and truckstops, filed a lawsuit in the 19 th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana against certain racetracks in Louisiana, including Fair Grounds, alleging that the 2021 HHR Act is unconstitutional to the extent it purports to permit historical racing in a parish without a referendum. As of
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December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately 500 HRMs in OTBs in Louisiana. If the 2021 HHR Act is determined to be unconstitutional it could have an adverse impact on our Louisiana HRM results which are reported in our Gaming segment.
TwinSpires Regulations and Potential Legislative Changes
TwinSpires is licensed in Oregon under a multi-jurisdictional simulcasting and interactive wagering totalisator hub license issued by the Oregon Racing Commission in accordance with Oregon law and the IHA. We also hold ADW licenses in certain other states where appropriate. Changes in the form of new legislation or regulatory activity at the state or federal level could adversely impact our mobile and online ADW business.
Sports Betting and iGaming Regulations and Potential Legislative Changes
In May 2018, the United States Supreme Court struck down the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which had effectively banned sports wagering in most states. Removal of the ban gave states the authority to authorize sports wagering. Sports betting has been authorized and is operational in thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia as of December 31, 2023. Each state has different structures for the number of allowable industry participants, license fees, taxes, and other operational requirements.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company is operational in nine states for retail sports betting.
Gaming Regulations and Potential Legislative Changes
The gaming industry is a highly regulated industry. In the U.S., gaming laws are generally designed to protect consumers and the viability and integrity of the industry. Gaming laws may also be designed to protect and maximize state and local revenue derived through taxes and licensing fees imposed on industry participants as well as to enhance economic development and tourism. To accomplish these public policy goals, gaming laws establish procedures to ensure that participants in the industry meet certain standards of character and fitness. Gaming laws require industry participants to:
• Ensure that unsuitable individuals and organizations have no role in gaming operations,
• Establish procedures designed to prevent cheating and fraudulent practices,
• Establish and maintain responsible accounting practices and procedures,
• Maintain effective controls over financial practices, including establishment of minimum procedures for internal fiscal affairs and the safeguarding of assets and revenue,
• Maintain systems for reliable record keeping,
• File periodic reports with gaming regulators,
• Ensure that contracts and financial transactions are commercially reasonable, reflect fair market value and are arms-length transactions,
• Establish programs to promote responsible gambling and inform patrons of the availability of help for problem gambling, and
• Enforce minimum age requirements.
A state regulatory environment is established by statute and administered by a regulatory agency with broad discretion to regulate the affairs of owners, managers, and persons with financial interests in gaming operations. Gaming authorities in the various jurisdictions in which we operate:
• Adopt rules and regulations under the implementing statutes,
• Interpret and enforce gaming laws,
• Impose disciplinary sanctions for violations, including fines and penalties,
• Review the character and fitness of participants in gaming operations and make determinations regarding suitability or qualification for licensure,
• Grant licenses for participation in gaming operations,
• Collect and review reports and information submitted by participants in gaming operations,
• Review and approve transactions, such as acquisitions or change-of-control transactions of gaming industry participants, securities offerings, and debt transactions engaged in by such participants, and
• Establish and collect fees and taxes.
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Any change in the gaming laws or regulations of a jurisdiction could have a material adverse impact on our gaming operations.
Licensing and Suitability Determinations
Gaming laws require us, each of our subsidiaries engaged in gaming operations, certain of our directors, officers and employees, and in some cases, certain of our shareholders, to obtain licenses from gaming authorities. Licenses typically require a determination that the applicant qualifies or is suitable to hold the license. Gaming authorities have very broad discretion in determining whether an applicant qualifies for licensing or should be deemed suitable. Criteria used in determining whether to grant a license to conduct gaming operations, while varying between jurisdictions, generally include consideration of factors such as the good character, honesty, and integrity of the applicant; the financial stability, integrity, and responsibility of the applicant, including whether the operation is adequately capitalized in the state and exhibits the ability to maintain adequate insurance levels; the quality of the applicant’s gaming facilities; the amount of revenue to be derived by the applicable state from the operation of the applicant’s gaming facility; the applicant’s practices with respect to minority hiring and training; and the effect on competition and general impact on the community.
In evaluating individual applicants, gaming authorities consider the individual’s business experience and reputation for good character, the individual’s criminal history, and the character of those with whom the individual associates.
Many gaming jurisdictions limit the number of licenses granted to operate gaming facilities within the state and some states limit the number of licenses granted to any one gaming operator. Licenses under gaming laws are generally not transferable without approval. Licenses in most of the jurisdictions in which we conduct gaming operations are granted for limited durations and require renewal from time to time. There can be no assurance that any of our licenses will be renewed. The failure to renew any of our licenses could have a material adverse impact on our gaming operations.
Gaming authorities may investigate any subsidiary engaged in gaming operations and may investigate any individual who has a material relationship to or material involvement with any of these entities to determine whether such individual is suitable or should be licensed as a business associate of a gaming licensee. Our officers, directors, and certain key employees must file applications with the gaming authorities and may be required to be licensed, qualify, or be found suitable in many jurisdictions. Gaming authorities may deny an application for licensing for any cause that they deem reasonable. Qualification and suitability determinations require submission of detailed personal and financial information followed by a thorough investigation. Changes in licensed positions must be reported to gaming authorities. Gaming authorities have the ability to deny a license, qualification, or finding of suitability and have jurisdiction to disapprove a change in a corporate position.
If one or more gaming authorities were to find that an officer, director, or key employee fails to qualify or is unsuitable for licensing or unsuitable to continue having a relationship with us, we would be required to sever all relationships with such person. Gaming authorities may also require us to terminate the employment of any person who refuses to file appropriate applications.
In many jurisdictions, certain of our shareholders may be required to undergo a suitability investigation similar to that described above. Many jurisdictions require any person who acquires beneficial ownership of more than a certain percentage of our voting securities, typically 5%, to report the acquisition to gaming authorities, and may be required to apply for qualification or a finding of suitability. Most gaming authorities, however, allow an "institutional investor" to apply for a waiver.
Any person who fails or refuses to apply for a finding of suitability or a license within the prescribed period after being advised it is required by gaming authorities may be denied a license or found unsuitable, as applicable. Any shareholder found unsuitable or denied a license and who holds, directly or indirectly, any beneficial ownership of our voting securities beyond such period of time as may be prescribed by the applicable gaming authorities may be guilty of a criminal offense. We may be subject to disciplinary action if, after we receive notice that a person is unsuitable to be a shareholder or to have any other relationship with us or any of our subsidiaries, we:
(i) pay that person any dividend or interest upon our voting securities,
(ii) allow that person to exercise, directly or indirectly, any voting right conferred through securities held by that person,
(iii) pay remuneration in any form to that person for services rendered or otherwise, or
(iv) fail to pursue all lawful efforts to require such unsuitable person to relinquish voting securities including, if necessary, the immediate purchase of said voting securities for cash at fair market value.
Violations of Gaming Laws
If we violate applicable gaming laws, our gaming licenses could be limited, conditioned, suspended, or revoked by gaming authorities, and we and any other persons involved could be subject to substantial fines. A supervisor or conservator can be appointed by gaming authorities to operate our gaming properties, or in some jurisdictions, take title to our gaming assets in the
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jurisdiction, and under certain circumstances, income generated during such appointment could be forfeited to the applicable state or states. Violations of laws in one jurisdiction could result in disciplinary action in other jurisdictions. As a result, violations by us of applicable gaming laws could have a material adverse impact on our gaming operations.
Some jurisdictions prohibit certain types of political activity by a gaming licensee, officers, directors, and key employees. A violation of such a prohibition may subject the offender to criminal and/or disciplinary action.
Reporting and Record-keeping Requirements
We are required periodically to submit detailed financial and operating reports and furnish any other information that gaming authorities may require. Under federal law, we are required to record and submit detailed reports of currency transactions involving greater than $10,000 at our gaming facilities and racetracks as well as any suspicious activity that may occur at such facilities. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in fines or cessation of operations. We are required to maintain a current stock ledger that may be examined by gaming authorities at any time. If any securities are held in trust by an agent or by a nominee, the record holder may be required to disclose the identity of the beneficial owner to gaming authorities. A failure to make such disclosure may be grounds for finding the record holder unsuitable. Gaming authorities may require certificates for our securities to bear a legend indicating that the securities are subject to specified gaming laws.
Review and Approval of Transactions
Substantially all material loans, leases, sales of securities, and similar financing transactions must be reported to and in some cases approved by gaming authorities. We may not make a public offering of securities without the prior approval of certain gaming authorities. Changes in control through merger, consolidation, stock or asset acquisitions, management, or consulting agreements, or otherwise are subject to receipt of prior approval of gaming authorities. Entities seeking to acquire control of us or one of our subsidiaries must satisfy gaming authorities with respect to a variety of stringent standards prior to assuming control. Gaming authorities may also require controlling shareholders, officers, directors, and other persons having a material relationship or involvement with the entity proposing to acquire control, to be investigated and licensed as part of the approval process relating to the transaction.
License Fees and Gaming Taxes
We pay substantial license fees and taxes in many jurisdictions in connection with our gaming operations which are computed in various ways depending on the type of gambling or activity involved. Depending upon the particular fee or tax involved, these fees and taxes are payable with varying frequency. License fees and taxes are based upon such factors as a percentage of the gaming revenue received; the number of gambling devices and table games operated; or a one-time fee payable upon the initial receipt of license and fees in connection with the renewal of license. In some jurisdictions, casino tax rates are graduated such that the tax rates increase as gaming revenue increases. Tax rates are subject to change, sometimes with little notice, and such changes could have a material adverse impact on our gaming operations.
Operational Requirements
In most jurisdictions, we are subject to certain requirements and restrictions on how we must conduct our gaming operations. In certain states, we are required to give preference to local suppliers and include minority and women-owned businesses and organized labor in construction projects to the maximum extent practicable. We may be required to give employment preference to minorities, women, and in-state residents in certain jurisdictions. Our ability to conduct certain types of games, introduce new games or move existing games within our facilities may be restricted or subject to regulatory review and approval. Some of our operations are subject to restrictions on the number of gaming positions we may have, and the maximum wagers allowed to be placed by our customers.
Environmental Matters
We are subject to various federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations that govern activities that may have adverse environmental effects, such as discharges to air and water, as well as the management and disposal of solid, animal, and hazardous wastes and exposure to hazardous materials. These laws and regulations, which are complex and subject to change, include the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and state laws and regulations that address the impacts of manure and wastewater generated by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations ("CAFO") on water quality, including, but not limited to, storm and sanitary water discharges. CAFO and other water discharge regulations include permit requirements and water quality discharge standards. Enforcement of these regulations has been receiving increased governmental attention. Compliance with these and other environmental laws can, in some circumstances, require significant capital expenditures. We may incur future costs under existing and new laws and regulations pertaining to storm water and wastewater management at our racetracks. Violations can result in significant penalties and, in some instances, interruption, or cessation of operations.
We also are subject to laws and regulations that create liability and cleanup responsibility for releases of hazardous substances into the environment. Under certain of these laws and regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of property may be
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liable for the costs of remediating hazardous substances or petroleum products on its property, without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or caused, the presence of the contaminants, and regardless of whether the practices that resulted in the contamination were legal at the time the contamination occurred. The presence of, or failure to remediate properly, such substances may materially adversely affect the ability to sell or rent such property or to borrow funds using such property as collateral. The owner of a property may be subject to claims by third parties based on damages and costs resulting from environmental contamination emanating from the property.
Marks and Intellectual Property
We hold numerous state and federal service mark registrations on specific names and designs in various categories including the entertainment business, apparel, paper goods, printed matter, housewares, and glass. We license the use of these service marks and derive revenue from such license agreements.
Available Information
Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements, and other Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings, and any amendments to those reports and any other filings that we file with or furnish to the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are made available free of charge on our website ( www.churchilldownsincorporated.com ) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file the materials with the SEC and are also available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov .
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