Ohio Casino Revenues Decline Amid Reduced Operating Hours

Ohio’s 11 gaming facilities saw a decline in revenues last month thanks in part to reduced operating hours.

In November, Ohio’s four casinos and seven racinos combined for $133.4 million in revenue, down 21% from October’s total of $169.1 million. Starting on Nov. 19, directives from the Ohio Department of Health led to facilities changing their hours in reaction to a growing number of COVID-19 cases. Gov. Mike DeWine announced a a 21-day curfew, during which MGM Northfield Park is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Jack Cleveland Casino operates from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Buckeye State had its best October revenue ever but, for November, revenues trailed in a year-over-year comparison to 12 months earlier. Ohio’s gaming revenues in November 2019 totaled a little over $161 million.

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When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all gaming facilities nationwide, including the ones in Ohio, it took a full month after reopening for financial figures to rebound.

The state hit a record in July by recording more than $86 million in revenue combined. Revenues leveled off after that and fell a fair bit in November.

Breakdown of Ohio’s November Gaming Revenue

Ohio’s leader in casino revenue in November was Hollywood Toledo Casino, which took in $16,541,912, according to figures that the Ohio Casino Control Commission posted. That was followed by Hollywood Columbus ($15,683,398), JACK Cleveland Casino ($14,530,650) and Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati ($12,754,664).

The state’s seven racinos, or racetracks with video lottery terminals — Belterra Park in Cincinnati, Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs in Columbus, MGM Northfield, Hollywood Gaming Dayton, Hollywood Mahoning Valley in Youngstown, JACK Thistledown in Cleveland and Miami Valley Gaming in Lebanon — recorded $73,860,639 of combined revenue in November from a handle of $832,404,152, according to figures from the Ohio Lottery. Handle had exceeded $1 billion in each of the previous three months.

MGM Northfield Park led the state’s racinos with $15.6 million in November revenue, followed by Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs with nearly $12.7 million.

Elsewhere in the state, proponents of Ohio sports betting are trying to forward legislation that would make the practice legal. With neighboring states Pennsylvania, Indiana and West Virginia taking legal online sports bets and Michigan getting set to expand its sports betting and iGaming options, the issue is gaining urgency for Ohioans who don’t want to see gambling-related tax dollars escape to nearby states.