LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Churchill Downs Inc. and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority have reached an agreement to resolve a dispute over unpaid regulatory fees, according to filings Tuesday, easing a conflict that had threatened the company's simulcasting operations.
Terms were not disclosed. But the deal prompted HISA to halt enforcement of a recent order that required Churchill Downs Inc. to pay $5.3 million in fees and interest or risk losing the ability to send its racing signal to out-of-state betting outlets.
In an order signed Tuesday, HISA chairman Charles Scheeler approved a stay of that ruling, noting that enforcement actions will be dismissed once the conditions of the agreement are met.
Churchill Downs Inc. also confirmed the resolution in a filing with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, stating that "the parties have resolved the dispute over the 2025 assessment."
The dispute dates back to late 2024, when Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association filed suit against HISA, arguing the authority improperly included purse money in calculating the fees owed by racetracks. New York Racing Association later withdrew from the lawsuit after reaching its own settlement with HISA.
Earlier this year, HISA alleged that Churchill Downs had failed to pay required fees for four racetracks during 2025, setting up a ruling issued last week by a three-member panel that significantly raised the stakes for Churchill Downs, whose business relies heavily on sending racing signals to wagering outlets across the country.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton heard arguments in the case and encouraged both sides to resolve the dispute outside of court — a resolution that now appears to have been reached.
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