Churchill Downs acquires Bluff Media

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky -- A gaming merger that was announced Friday could have some implications in the Internet poker realm.

Racetrack operator Churchill Downs of Louisville, Ky., announced the acquisition of Bluff Media, an Atlanta-based multimedia poker content, brand and publishing company.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed. Bluff Media's assets include poker publication Bluff Magazine and its online counterpart, BluffMagazine.com; The PokerDB, an online database that tracks and ranks the performance of poker players and tournaments; several blogs, online poker forums, news and editorial content; and the websites Bluff.com and BluffPoker.com.

Bluff Media does not engage in real-money online gaming. In a statement, Churchill Downs, which is publicly traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol CHDN, said it would build upon Bluff Media's current content and business model.

Churchill Downs also said the acquisition allows the company to pursue Internet poker if the activity is legalized on a state or federal level. Churchill Downs operates the Louisville racetrack of the same name that is home to the Kentucky Derby. The company also owns racetracks and their affiliated casino operations, including poker rooms, in Miami Gardens, Fla.; New Orleans, Arlington Heights, Ill.; and Greenville, Miss.