Casinos were prohibited in Ohio before 2009, so gamblers instead visited casinos in Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan where they were permitted. In November 2009, Ohio voters approved a measure that would allow for four casinos to be established in the state, one each in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo. The casinos were expected to generate $600 million in revenue, with fees collected there to be redistributed to school districts and local governments in the state. It passed by a vote of 53 to 47. [1]
| Casino | City | County | State | District | Type | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belterra Park Cincinnati | Anderson Township | Hamilton | Ohio | Racino | Formerly known as River Downs. Opened May 1, 2014 [2] with 1,600 video lottery terminals. No table games. | |
| Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs | Columbus | Franklin | Ohio | Racino | Opened June 1, 2012 with 2,100 video lottery terminals. No table games. | |
| Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati | Cincinnati | Hamilton | Ohio | Land-based | Opened March 4, 2013. | |
| Hollywood Casino Columbus | Columbus | Franklin | Ohio | Land-based | Opened October 8, 2012. | |
| Hollywood Casino Toledo | Toledo | Lucas | Ohio | Land-based | Opened May 29, 2012. [3] | |
| Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway | Dayton | Montgomery | Ohio | Racino | Relocation of Raceway Park. Opened August 28, 2014 [4] with 1,000 video lottery terminals. No table games. | |
| Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course | Austintown | Mahoning | Ohio | Racino | Relocation of Beulah Park. Opened September 17, 2014 [4] with 850 video lottery terminals. No table games. | |
| Jack Cleveland Casino | Cleveland | Cuyahoga | Ohio | Public Square | Land-based | Ohio's first casino opened on May 14, 2012 in the historic former Higbee's Building in Tower City Center on Public Square. |
| Jack Thistledown Racino | North Randall | Cuyahoga | Ohio | Racino | Opened April 9, 2013 [5] with 1,100 video lottery terminals. No table games. | |
| MGM Northfield Park | Northfield | Summit | Ohio | Racino | Opened December 18, 2013 with 2,300 video lottery terminals. No table games. | |
| Miami Valley Gaming | Turtlecreek Township | Warren | Ohio | Racino | Relocation of Lebanon Raceway. Opened December 12, 2013 with 2,500 video lottery terminals. No table games. | |
Ohio, officially the State of Ohio is a state in the Midwestern United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area. With a population of nearly 11.8 million, Ohio is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated state. Its capital and largest city is Columbus, with the Columbus metro area, Greater Cincinnati, and Greater Cleveland being the largest metropolitan areas. Ohio is bordered by Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the west, and Michigan to the northwest. Ohio is nicknamed the "Buckeye State" after its Ohio buckeye trees, and Ohioans are also known as "Buckeyes". Its state flag is the only non-rectangular flag of all the U.S. states.
Interstate 71 (I-71) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern regions of the United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-64 and I-65 in Louisville, Kentucky, and its northern terminus at an interchange with I-90 in Cleveland, Ohio. I-71 runs concurrently with I-75 from a point about 20 miles (32 km) south of Cincinnati, Ohio, into Downtown Cincinnati. While most odd numbered Interstates run north–south, I-71 takes more of a northeast-southwest course, with some east–west sections, and is mainly a regional route serving Kentucky and Ohio. It links I-80 and I-90 to I-70, and ultimately links to I-40. Major metropolitan areas served by I-71 include Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.
Theodore Strickland is an American politician who was the 68th governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 6th congressional district.
Beulah Park was Ohio's first thoroughbred racetrack and premier event center, offering live thoroughbred racing from October through to early May. The track also offered Quarter Horse racing on select days throughout the season, with the most notable races occurring in mid-October with three AQHA graded stakes. Located seven miles outside Columbus, Beulah Park was open seven days a week for simulcast wagering. It was also known for the Beulah Park Twins, who were the simulcast hosts from 1997 to 2009.
The Arena District is a mixed-use planned development and neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. The site was developed through a partnership between Nationwide Realty Investors, Ltd., the City of Columbus and private investors. Interpretation of the boundaries of the district are evolving as the neighboring blocks around the original 75-acre (300,000 m2) site have seen additional commercial and residential development. The Arena District is named for Nationwide Arena.
Bally Sports Ohio is an American regional sports network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and is operated as an affiliate of Bally Sports. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events in the state of Ohio, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Cleveland and Cincinnati, which are broadcast on separate programming feeds, as well as Columbus.
Jack Thistledown Racino is a thoroughbred race track and casino in North Randall, Ohio, at the outskirts of the city of Cleveland. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Jack Entertainment.
Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs, formerly known as Scioto Downs Racino, is a horse racing track and casino in Columbus, Ohio, owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. The track has operated since 1959, and became Ohio's first racino with the addition of video lottery terminals (VLTs) on June 1, 2012. The track was annexed by Columbus from Hamilton Township in 2012. The casino is 117,000 square feet (10,900 m2), with over 2,200 VLTs.
The Touchdown Club of Columbus was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1956 by Sam B. Nicola at the request of state auditor James A. Rhodes, who later became governor of the state. Nicola served as the club's president until his death in 1993. More than a decade later, his son Sam Nicola Jr. took over the Touchdown Club. On January 22, 2020, the president of the Touchdown Club of Columbus, Curt Boster, announced on the club's Facebook page the cancellation of the awards, citing difficulty of maintaining the event without a title sponsor.
Vernon Downs is a horse racing track, racino and entertainment facility located in the town of Vernon in central New York. The track was established in 1953 and in 1955 was the location that Adios Harry ran his "Miracle Mile". As tastes changed and competition increased, its attendance and revenues decreased. It has added simulcast harness racing, video gaming, and entertainment, in addition to building a 173-suite hotel.
The economy of Ohio nominally would be the 21st largest global economy behind Saudi Arabia and ahead of Argentina according to the 2017 International Monetary Fund GDP estimates. The state had a GDP of $656.19 billion in 3rd quarter of 2017, up from $517.1 billion in 2012, and up from $501.3 billion in 2011, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In 2013, Ohio was ranked in the top ten states for best business climate by Site Selection magazine, based on a business-activity database. The state was edged out only by Texas and Nebraska for the 2013 Governor's Cup award from the magazine, based on business growth and economic development.
Indiana law authorizes ten land-based or riverboat casinos on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River, one land-based casino in French Lick, and racinos at the state's two horse tracks. In addition, there is one Indian casino in the state. Other forms of legal gambling are the Hoosier Lottery, parimutuel wagering on horse races, and sports betting.
Hollywood Casino Toledo is a casino in Toledo, Ohio, that opened on May 29, 2012. The casino is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn Entertainment, and has 125,000 square feet (11,600 m2) of gaming space, with 2,002 slot machines, 60 table games, and 20 poker tables.
Jack Cleveland Casino is a casino in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, owned by Vici Properties and operated by Jack Entertainment.
Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati is a casino in Cincinnati, Ohio, owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International. It opened in 2013.
Hollywood Casino Columbus is a casino located in Columbus, Ohio. It opened on October 8, 2012 and is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn Entertainment.
Ohio is home to many professional and college sports teams. The metropolitan areas of Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus are home to major league professional sports teams in baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer.
Jack Entertainment is a gaming, hospitality, and entertainment company based in Cleveland, Ohio. The company operates two gaming facilities in Ohio, Jack Cleveland Casino and Jack Thistledown Racino.
Media related to Casinos in Ohio at Wikimedia Commons