Churchill Downs Eyes Granite State HRM Launch Through Chasers Acquisition

The famous horseracing, casino, and betting brand Churchill Downs Incorporated has moved to expand its business with the acquisition of a poker room in New Hampshire. The location in question is the Chasers Poker Room in Salem – a charity gambling venue.

Churchill Downs to Acquire Chasers Poker Room

This move comes in the wake of New Hampshire’s decision from 2021, which allowed charity betting operators to provide historical horseracing offerings. Such operators are required to donate a certain portion of their revenues to the charity organizations in the state.

The legalization of historical horseracing at charity venues is exactly what piqued Churchill Downs’ interest. The company plans to use this opportunity to expand its footprint to New Hampshire and offer historical horseracing to local bettors.

One of the main selling points of Chasers Poker Room is the facility’s proximity to Massachusetts. Salem is some 25 miles away from The Bay State’s capital, making it a strategic location for what Churchill Downs has in mind. As the operator launches historical horseracing, bettors from both states will be able to visit the venue, thus expanding the company’s influence.

The agreement is subject to regulatory approval by the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. Should Churchill Downs be allowed to proceed with the deal, it plans to enhance Chasers Poker Room’s offerings with the addition of historical racing machines.

The Company Looks to Expand Its HRM Offerings

Churchill Downs’ chief executive officer, Bill Carstanjen, spoke about the deal and the prospects of launching in the Granite State. He said that this is an exciting opportunity and he looks forward to presenting local bettors with Churchill Downs’ tested historical racing machines. Carstanjen is sure that the local bettors will adore the operator’s critically-acclaimed offerings and added that more will come soon.

“We look forward to sharing more about our plans to build an expanded, state-of-the-art gaming facility in Salem in the coming months,” Carstanjen said.

New Hampshire is set to be the fourth state where Churchill Downs offers historical racing. Currently, the company operates such offerings in Kentucky and is working on launching in two more states. One of them is Virginia, where Churchill Downs negotiated the acquisition of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, and the other one is Louisiana, where the company will soon launch its historical racing.

Churchill Downs is one of the most popular brands when it comes to horseracing betting. The company is famous for its annual Kentucky Derby and is the brand of choice of many lovers of the sport. The operator has tried to expand into iGaming several times but without much success.