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AUSTINTOWN -- The first wager on a sporting event to come at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course came just after midnight on Jan. 1, 2023.
Since then, the industry has continued to grow in the Mahoning Valley, with future growth potentially on the horizon.
According to revenue reports from the Ohio Casino Control Commission, $847,928,126 of taxable revenue was brought into the state from sports gaming through November 2023.
According to the reports, more than $6 million of that taxable revenue was brought in by Austintown’s Hollywood gaming across both Type A and Type B gambling.
"Sports betting has been a welcome addition to our property, which now offers VLT (video lottery terminal) gaming, horse racing, Ohio Lottery games, dining and live entertainment providing yet another option for guests in the Mahoning Valley to take in when visiting us," Kevin Brogan, director of marketing at Hollywood Gaming, said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation allowing sports gambling two years ago -- which was made possible by a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down a federal ban on states legalizing sports wagering. At the time, Ohio was joining more than 30 other states where fans could bet on sports.
The legislation created three types of licenses overseen by the state's Casino Control Commission. Those licenses govern mobile wagering such as on a phone app; gambling in sportsbooks run by casinos, racinos and professional sports teams; and bars, restaurants and other retail sites with self-service kiosks.
The state's Legislative Service Commission estimated that sports betting eventually will become a multibillion-dollar industry in Ohio.
Hollywood Gaming in Austintown experienced a rush of sports wagers in January when they first became available.
According to numbers available online, the racino reported $1,215,400 in taxable revenue through Type A wagers, which are done online through Hollywood Gaming's service provider PointsBet Ohio, throughout January 2023.
Through Type B gambling, which is considered retail sports gaming, Hollywood Gaming reported $156,129 in taxable revenue in January 2023 with Barstool Sports, which was its service provider at the time.
Brogan said that while the excitement from the initial availability of sports gaming at the Austintown's Hollywood Gaming provided a rush, that enthusiasm endured throughout the year. Brogan said a big part of this surge was several big-time sporting events early in 2023.
"There was certainly a lot of excitement in the first few months with football playoffs, the opening of our full-scale sportsbook and restaurant Super Bowl weekend and then March Madness," Brogan said. "This excitement has continued throughout the year. In addition, with sports wagering, we really have taken the opportunity to enhance not just our food and beverage offerings but also our restaurant hours of operations with late night pay-per-view events and mid-morning, international sports viewing."
FUTURE
More sports gambling opportunities may soon be coming to the Valley.
In May 2023, the Ohio Casino Control Commission approved a Type-B gaming proprietor license request for Phantom Fireworks Inc., which allows the holder to offer sports wagering at a qualified gaming facility.
The original plan from Phantom Fireworks entailed a sports book at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown.
William Weimer, vice president of Phantom Fireworks, said plans for the company's sports book are still in development.
"We're still working on it, and we're hoping we can pull something together," Weimer said. "We'll see what happens."
Weimer did not give a timeline as to when a Phantom Fireworks sports book might be available, but he said the company is currently working on "pulling a location together."
Sports gambling is projected to continue growing in Ohio. Companies will likely continue to take advantage.
For a company like Hollywood Gaming, Brogan said continuing to provide the best gaming experience possible will remain the goal.
"While I can only speak for Mahoning Valley, we’ll continue to be innovative with the types of bets and promotions we offer and tailor our viewing experiences to feedback from our guests," Brogan said.