Bluff Media purchased by Churchill Downs

Another Deal Done

US Horseracing giant Churchill Downs in Louisville, has jumped into the online & land gambling race, as the prospect of legalised online gambling in the USA grows stronger.

Churchill Downs has struck a deal to purchase Atlanta-based poker information media firm Bluff Media in a move that could help to position it more strongly in the event of legalisation.

The terms of the purchase and amount purchased for have not been disclosed yet.

Bluff is described in the Churchill Downs press material as a multimedia poker content, brand & publishing company. It owns the poker periodical Bluff Magazine & the magazine’s website; an online database that tracks & ranks the performance of poker players & tournaments called ThePokerDB; other blogs & forums; & various websites including Bluff.com & BluffPoker.com.

Churchill said it could build on Bluff Media’s offerings in the event there is a liberalization of state or federal laws with respect to Internet poker in the United States.

The racing company launched an online wagering site several years ago to take advantage of carve-outs in US law that allow internet betting on horseracing, & chief exec Bob Evans is on record as declaring that Churchill Downs would be interested in the online gambling business, should it be legalised.

Churchill Downs as emphasised that Bluff Media has not been involved in actual real money gambling, but uses its resources to direct players to games on other poker sites & at casinos, & disseminate information on poker.

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Eddy Kleid & Eric Morris, who are the co-presidents of Bluff Media, & vice president of online operations, Jeff Markley, will continue in their current roles after the takeover.