Ohio’s gambling revenue rises

The state’s four full service casinos have reported good results after a year of poor revenue.

US.- The Ohio Casino Control Commission reported this week the four casinos of the state’s revenue: the statewide gaming numbers in May reached US$70.2 milion, a 5.5 percent increase when compared to the same period a year ago.

Jack Cleveland Casino was the top scorer in the state, as it collected US$17.4 million in May, a 8.8 percent increase from the same month in 2016. A close second was Jack Cincinnati Casino, with a 6.8 percent growth; Hollywood Casino Toledo collected US$17.3 million in May, a 4.9 percent increase, whilst Hollywood Casino Columbus totaled US$18.4 million, the higher revenue from a wide margin, but the smallest increase with an only 3.6 percent, as revealed by The Blade.

The news outlet reported that year to date, the four casinos reported US$348.2 million in gaming revenue, just 1 percent less from the US$351.4 million they totaled during the same period in 2016.

Last month, the state Senate passed House Bill 32 unanimously, which will amend a law that forbade, until now, staff members to play slots and wagers at any of the state’s four casinos. From now on a casino operator or employee will be able to “participate in casino gaming at a casino facility, so long as they don’t have an interest in the facility, aren’t employed at the facility and don’t have an interest or employment at an affiliated facility in Ohio.”