Ohio Sports Gaming Kiosks Cost State Money

Fees to Oversee Sports Betting Kiosks Cost More Than Revenue

Sports betting kiosks are commonplace in Ohio. Last week saw 14 new Ohio sports gaming kiosks put into place at Kroger grocery stores.

ā€œThis is a new, convenient way to offer our shoppers a variety of how they can incorporate into the sports betting arena,ā€ said Kroger Corporate Affairs Manager Jennifer Moore.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission approved licenses for 41 Kroger locations in September 2022. But there’s one small problem for the state. The Ohio sports gaming kiosks cost more to oversee than the revenue they bring in.

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Sports betting is big business in Ohio. Despite not starting until January 2023, the Ohio Casino Control Commission has said there has been more than $7.6 billion wagered. But more than 95% of those bets are made through online betting sites or phone apps.

The sports betting kiosks may be convenient for some bettors, but most people prefer to bet online. That pattern has been pretty much universal across all states, not just Ohio.

While the Ohio Casino Control Commission grants the Type C gaming license required to have a sports betting kiosk, oversight of the Ohio sports gaming kiosks has fallen upon the Ohio Lottery.

The lottery received a little more than $300,000 in revenue from the kiosks. But it costs nearly $650,000 to operate the kiosks on an annual basis, said Ohio Lottery Commission spokesperson Danielle Frizzi-Babb.

It didn’t take long to realize the sports betting kiosks were going to be a financial drain on the Ohio Lottery. The first three months of legalized sports betting brought in $75,473 in revenue. But salary expenses are $54,200 per month.

Increasing Kiosk Play is Key

In order for the Ohio sports gaming kiosks to become profitable, the state needs more sports bettors to use them. In January and February of last year, kiosk betting amounted to less than .5% of all sports bets. More than 97% of sports bets were made online.

But increasing kiosk play could be easier said than done. The state currently has a $700 weekly limit on betting through kiosks. The restriction doesn’t apply to online betting or bets made in person.

While the Ohio Lottery may lose a little bit of money from sports betting kiosks, it’s hard to find much sympathy for it. In 2022, it announced profits of over $1 billion from traditional lottery games.

For gambling news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.


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