Churchill Downs CEO: Virginia legalizing icasino would be “bad news”
Bill Carstanjen speaks out against online casino plans in the state and calls on the legislators to “get it right”
Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen has stated online casino legalization in Virginia would be “bad news.”
Speaking during the operator’s Q4 2025 earnings call, Carstanjen said legislators and members of the public are against the state becoming the ninth US jurisdiction to legalize online casino.
The CEO’s comments came after both the House and Senate passed bills that would legalize the vertical in the Old Dominion State. An update this week in the legislature would require policy to pass in both 2026 and 2027 before becoming law.
The bills, which still differ slightly, would allow the state’s five land-based casinos to launch three online casino skins each via partnerships with commercial operators.
Carstanjen said: “Igaming is bad news for Virginia. It’s not law. It’s something that’s been discussed and there are two different bills in the House and the Senate that have gone through.
“I don’t think it’s good for the environment in Virginia. We certainly have made that point clear and when you see the polling, that’s what the people think as well.
“I would say when you look at any legislative process, including the one in Virginia, there’s a lot of noise and there is a lot of back and forth during the throes of it.
“But we firmly believe that igaming is a bad construct for Virginia. We think many legislators there believe that as well.
“We continue to share our views and certainly listen to others. I think it’s important folks don’t react to the ebbs and flows of the legislative process and wait to see what the end of that process is.
“We remain confident the legislature and the governor of Virginia will get it right in Virginia.”
Earlier this month, Churchill Downs announced it was launching a new brand, logo, and digital presence for its Colonial Downs brand in Virginia, to be debuted at the Virginia Derby spring meet on March 12-14.
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