JACK Entertainment launches sports betting app in Ohio

The new free-to-play app has been created in partnership with Shape Games and Kambi Group, in Ohio.

US.- Casino operator JACK Entertainment has launched its new free-to-play betJACK sports betting app in Ohio. Created in partnership with Shape Games and Kambi Group, the app is available on Apple and Android.

The app aims to introduce players to sports betting. When real-money sports betting is launched in the state next year, the betJACK app will transition to JACK’s real-money betting platform. Legal sports betting is set to launch in Ohio in January 2023.

JACK Entertainment president, Brian Eby, said: “We wanted to provide an entertaining way for sports fans to learn and become comfortable with sports betting before real money wagering goes live in Ohio, and we are excited to partner with Shape and Kambi to create an exceptional product.”

Kambi senior vice president of sales, Sarah Robertson, added: “We look forward to working with Shape Games once again and as Ohio makes the transition to real money sports betting, we’re excited to leverage this experience helping to prime consumers and the market for the forthcoming real-money offerings.”

Shape Games chief commercial officer, Morten Tonnesen, commented: “We are so pleased to launch in the US with this free-to-play product, offering Ohioans a risk-free and consumer friendly entry into real money gaming in the future. “We’ve had great success with this [free-to-play] approach globally, with the poker market as a proven case study.”

Ohio casinos and racinos take in $179m in February

The Ohio Casino Control Commission reported that the state’s eleven licensed casinos and racinos brought in more than $179m in February. The figure sets a new record for the month, surpassing the $171.4m reached in February 2020. Revenue for the year to date is $350m.

Revenue was up 12.7 per cent year-on-year as in February 2021 venues were under an overnight curfew due to Covid-19 countermeasures. Ohio’s four casinos pulled in $75.2m, up 11.3 per cent when compared to last year.

See also: betPARX secures Ohio market access through partnership with Memorial Tournament