Ohio’s four retail casinos and seven racinos brought in solid revenue in May, totaling $201.5 million. While that figure is 3.9% below last May’s $209.1 million, year-to-date totals are on track to outperform last year.
That means Ohio casinos and racinos are on pace for a record year.
The report released by the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Lottery shows January-May revenue is up 2.5% over the same months in 2021. That’s significant because 2021 was Ohio’s best year on record since the relaunch of casinos and racinos in 2012.
Casinos and racinos have reported $983.3 million in revenue so far this year. In 2021, YTD was $957.9 million.
Although revenue totals for the last two months came in slightly below last year’s totals, a record-setting first quarter for Ohio gambling puts the Buckeye State on pace to touch $1 billion in annual revenue for casino gaming alone.
Ohio casinos hold steady in May
Ohio casinos have typically seen a slight downturn in revenues from April to May, and this year is no different. Monthly totals for May came in at $86.6 million, down 6.6% from April. That total, though, was down only .2% ($157,000) from last May.
YTD casino totals are up 3.8% from last year, posting $423.5 million in revenue compared to $407.3 million in 2021.
This month, JACK Cleveland Casino topped the list, pulling in $22.3 million, followed by the Hollywood Casino Columbus with $21.9 million, Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati with $21.8 million and the Hollywood Casino Toledo with $20.5 million.
Of the four, Hard Rock Cincinnati was the only casino to post a gain on their 2021 revenue totals.
| Casino | May 2022 | April 2022 | May 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| JACK Cleveland Casino | $22.3 million | $23.1 million | $22.4 million |
| Hollywood Columbus | $21.9 million | $24.3 million | $23.1 million |
| Hard Rock Cincinnati | $21.8 million | $24.4 million | $19.7 million |
| Hollywood Toledo | $20.5 million | $21.1 million | $21.6 million |
| Total | $86.6 million | $92.8 million | $86.8 million |
Ohio racinos dip but still post strong numbers
March to May 2021 represented an all-time high for Ohio racinos, so the 6% dip in total racino revenues from May 2021 to May 2022 should be considered against that backdrop. Bringing in total revenue of $114.9 million in May 2022, Ohio racinos have shown more than a 15% increase in revenue over every year except 2021.
MGM Northfield Park and Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs both topped out at over $20 million in revenue for the month of May, although both were down roughly $700,000 each from last year’s totals.
JACK Thistledown Racino dipped the most from its May 2021 revenues, posting a $3 million drop from last year despite a busy opening weekend for the Kentucky Derby. The only other racino to post more than a $1 million revenue dip was Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway.
Miami Valley Gaming ($19 million), Hollywood Mahoning Valley ($13.8 million) and Belterra Park ($8.3 million) all held steady with their 2021 numbers.
| Racino | May 2022 | April 2022 | May 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MGM Northfield Park | $24.3 million | $25.6 million | $25 million |
| Eldorado Scioto Downs | $20.5 million | $22.5 million | $21.2 million |
| Miami Valley Gaming | $19.0 million | $20.1 million | $19.7 million |
| JACK Thistledown Racetrack | $15.8 million | $17.2 million | $19.1 million |
| Hollywood Mahoning Valley | $13.8 million | $14.5 million | $14.1 million |
| Hollywood Dayton | $13.0 million | $14.2 million | $14.2 million |
| Belterra Park | $8.3 million | $8.6 million | $8.8 million |
| Total | $114.9 million | $122.7 million | $122.3 million |
Overall, Ohio casinos and racinos are on pace for a record year.
Ohio prepares for launch of sports betting
The Ohio Casino Control Commission announced Jan. 1, 2023, as the launch date for three different types of sports betting:
- Type A: Mobile sports betting
- Type B: Retail sports betting
- Type C: Sports gaming lottery kiosks
Interim deadlines for the process of vetting prospective vendors are scheduled throughout the summer. The commission will accept applications for sports betting operator licenses during two 30-day windows starting June 15.
Matt Schuler, executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, said during the commission’s last meeting:
“It will be a very busy fall and winter both for the operators, prospective applicants and the commission. There’s a lot to do between now and then.”
