Two Ohio casinos apply for sports betting licences
Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course and the Covelli Centre could receive approval from the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
US.- Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course and the Covelli Centre have applied for sports betting licence approval from the Ohio Casino Control Commission. Phantom Fireworks Inc and Youngstown Real Estate Ventures LLC have submitted sports gaming proprietor, services provider, and supplier applications.
Vice president of Phantom Fireworks, William Weimer, credited Phantom Fireworks president Bruce Zoldan with the plan. He said: “He came up with the idea of getting one of these gaming licenses for the Covelli Centre. The idea is to put kiosks in the concourse (for sports betting) and do some remodeling at the Huntington Club on the second floor to provide for a betting area and TVs.”
“Youngstown, like many cities, has seen a lot of decline downtown… It seems to be turning into an entertainment place. Adding this dimension to the Covelli Centre would help the entertainment aura of the downtown area.”
Zoldan owns the US Hockey League (USHL) franchise the Youngstown Phantoms, a team that plays its games at the Covelli Centre, which opened in 2005. Weimer said there is “no intention under any circumstances” to bring sports betting to USHL games. Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course is part of Penn National Gaming and opened in 2014.
Earlier in July, the NFL franchise the Cincinnati Bengals applied for a sports betting licence in Ohio. The team is the eighth company and the first professional sports team to apply for an Ohio operator licence. Licensing applications opened on June 15 and the deadline was set for July 15. But applications postmarked by that date will still be considered by the commission.
Bettors in Ohio may begin wagering on sports on January 1, 2023. Governor Mike DeWine signed legislation to allow sports betting in the state following approval of House Bill 29 by the House and Senate last December.
Ohio casinos and racinos register $196.8m in revenue in June
Ohio’s casinos and racinos recorded $196.8m in gambling revenue in June, marking the third monthly decline. In April, they recorded $215.6m in revenue. However, although revenue was down by $3.2m from 2021, it was still $11.3m ahead of 2019.
The state’s seven racinos’ revenue was down $4.5m compared to the same month last year. However, they brought in $16.5m more than the same month in 2019. For the year to date, revenue is outperforming 2021 so far, despite three months of declining numbers.
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