Ohio Casinos, Racinos Saw Revenue Bump From 2022 Last Month

Ohio’s casinos and racinos in November couldn’t match the prior month’s revenue, but they made more money than they did the year before, according to monthly revenue data.

The reports from the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Lottery showed the four casinos’ slots and table games and seven racinos’ VLT machines combined for $186.1 million in November, which was 1.3% better than in November 2022. The total revenue was 0.9% less, however, than in October.

The casinos trended better than the racinos by showing positive gains both month-over-month — by 1.3% to $80.4 million — and year-over-year, by 2.2%.

The racetracks’ machine revenue of $105.7 million, while up 0.7% from November 2022, was down 2.5% from October.

Unlike its neighboring states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia, Ohio has not legalized online casino apps. That possibility is one likely topic of conversation for a broad gambling study commission created by the legislature that is expected to begin meeting in February in Columbus.

The revenue reports from casino and racino games are separate from the retail sports betting earnings taking place in those venues. Figures released by the casino commission Tuesday showed that collectively, 15 sportsbook locations for in-person betting earned $1.6 million in November out of the state’s revenue total of $67.8 million, as more than 97% of Ohio’s sports betting is done using phones or computers.

Cincy, Columbus casinos did well

Of the four casinos, two of them earned more revenue than in both the prior month and the prior November.

Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati was one of those, with its $19.7 million amounting to 4.1% more than in October and 1.9% better than November 2022.

Hollywood Casino Columbus also trended well, with its $21.7 million a 2% improvement over October and an even better 2.9% boost from 2022.

JACK Cleveland’s $21.4 million in November was 2.8% better than the prior November but off a slight 0.1% from October.

Hollywood Casino Toledo, meanwhile, was basically flat in comparison to both the prior month and year with its revenue of $17.6 million.

Strong month for Miami Valley Gaming

Only one of the seven racinos could claim to have done better in both monthly and annual comparisons. That was Miami Valley Gaming, whose $19.1 million in revenue was 4.1% better than in November 2022 as well as 2.7% more than in October.

JACK Thistledown’s $14.6 million was 3% more than the same month in 2022 and basically flat with its October figure.

All of the other track VLT hosts did worse in November than October, and two of those also suffered a slide year-over-year.

Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs repeated the negative comparisons it showed in the prior month’s report. Its November revenue of $17 million was off 3.5% monthly and 7.3% annually.

Belterra Park also trended the wrong way, with its $6.4 million in revenue down 6.7% from the month before and 3.5% from the prior November.

It was more of a mixed bag for the others, including Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley, where the $12.6 million was flat with 2022 but 6.4% less than in October.

The biggest revenue earner among racinos, MGM Northfield Park, made $23.6 million from its machines, which was 3.1% ahead of November 2022 but 3.4% behind October’s winnings.

Lastly, Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway, with revenue of $12.3 million, did 4% better than in November 2022 but 3.5% worse than in October.