Report: Churchill Downs ends in-person sports betting at track

Churchill Downs has closed its on-site sportsbook on the second floor of the clubhouse of the racetrack.

The company cites the prevalence of online sports betting as reason for the closure, according to a report from Matthew Glowicki of the Louisville Courier Journal. "With 98% of sports betting made on mobile platforms such as FanDuel, there simply isn’t a profitable path forward for us to sustain profitability as a retail operator," said Churchill Downs racetrack spokesman Darren Rogers in a statement provided to the Courier Journal. "We’re going to focus our time and resources elsewhere."

The Churchill Downs sportsbook took wagers for less than a year and a half. It opened to the public Sept. 7, 2023, along with other sports betting locations across the state. Between the beginning of Kentucky sports betting and the end of 2024, the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation reported that Kentuckians bet just over $3.5 billion on sports, with only $125 million of that going through the windows at retail locations. The rest was wagered online.

Bettors can cash winning tickets at Churchill Downs until Sunday, and then cash tickets by mail afterwards. Other sports betting facilities owned by Churchill Downs, including its Derby City Gaming locations in Louisville, remain open. Churchill Downs racetrack will continue to offer simulcast horse racing wagering on site.