Churchill Downs not being shown in Nevada race books because of contract dispute

The Churchill Downs simulcast signal has been unavailable throughout Nevada since the track’s meet began on Oct. 27 due to a contract dispute with the company that buys racing signals for the state’s parimutuel locations, the track’s parent company confirmed on Tuesday.

The company acknowledged the impasse in a statement released in response to a request for comment about the situation in the state, but the statement did not provide details about the underlying issues leading to the blackout. In the simulcast retail market, the most common issue affecting negotiations is the price paid for the signal.

“Unfortunately, the Churchill Downs Fall Meet races are not being distributed to the Nevada pari-mutuel facilities due to the lack of an executed agreement,” said the statement. “We would like to believe that this dispute can be resolved in the future so horse racing fans in Nevada may once again wager on races taking place at the home of the Kentucky Derby.”

The Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association, an organization formed by race books in the state to negotiate simulcast contracts with racetracks, did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Although Nevada has passed laws allowing for mobile betting on sports, it remains illegal in the state to bet on horse races online, and race books are the only option for horseplayers in the state, at least when betting into the parimutuel pools. Revenues from race books have declined significantly in Las Vegas over the last decade due to the declining popularity of the sport and an effort by many racetracks to push for higher fees from race books and other simulcast-only outlets.