The Kroger supermarket chain is approved to add sports betting kiosks to more than 40 of its Ohio stores in 2023, but the machines will not be up and running on Jan. 1.
The Ohio sports betting market is set to begin on New Year’s Day when upwards of 20 retail sportsbooks, two-dozen sportsbook apps and hundreds of kiosks will go live.
The Cincinnati Business Courier first reported that Kroger will not add the betting machines inside its stores on the state’s universal start date. A spokesperson confirmed to PlayOhio that the company will not operate any betting kiosks “until later in 2023.”
“We are still doing our due diligence for the program,” said Jenifer Moore, Kroger corporate affairs manager.
Kroger still working on sports betting kiosk strategy
According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, Kroger likely will not operate any kiosks until the spring and plans to continue “exploring” its sports betting strategy into the summer of 2023.
Additionally, the company may not add kiosks at every one of the 42 stores that have been approved by the Ohio Casino Control Commission to host them.
“The initial list encapsulated all possible stores where this program could occur,” a spokesperson told The Courier, “not necessarily all locations where activations will happen.”
Kroger’s 42 licenses trail only Giant Eagle’s 65 among Ohio grocery store chains. Grocery stores currently make up just over 15% of all approved kiosk operators.
Ohio sports betting kiosk market continues to grow
The Ohio Lottery Commission has pre-approved over 1,400 businesses to add kiosks, and the Ohio Casino Control Commission has already licensed 931 businesses to add them.
A wide variety of Ohio businesses are eligible to add the machines, including bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, golf courses, hotels, convenience stores, truck stops and supermarkets.
Only 652 businesses initially applied for licenses ahead of the OCCC’s first summer deadline. But the commission encouraged pre-approved businesses to continue applying, and the tally of approved businesses has continued to grow.
Kiosk betting types and limits
Betting options will be relatively limited at sports betting kiosks compared to retail and online sportsbooks, and bettors will be subject to a weekly betting limit.
Sports betting kiosks will be limited to taking the following bets:
- Spread wagers: A bet on the outcome of a game against odds designed to level the playing field.
- Over-under wagers: A bet on whether the game score will be higher or lower than projected.
- Moneyline wagers: A straight-up bet without any point spread where bettors predict the outright winner.
- Parlays: A single bet on two to four outcomes. Each side must win to produce a winning ticket.
Prop bets and in-game wagers are not permitted on sports betting kiosks.
Each bettor is only allowed to bet up to $700 each week across all kiosks in Ohio.
