(WJW) — On Jan. 1, 2023, a new era of legalized gambling was born in the state of Ohio.
Ever since that day, Adam Suliman, a JACK Casino senior vice president, said it’s been a busy time to be in the business of sports betting.
“All in all, it’s been a tiring 60 days for us, but we are happy with the outcome,” said Suliman.
Almost two months later, the initial results are in for the launch of sports betting in the Buckeye state. The revenue was massive.
American Gaming Association Vice President Cait DeBaun said the Buckeye state is in elite company.
“Ohio really proved they’re interested in sports betting with over a billion dollars wagered in the first month. That puts them right behind New York,” said DeBaun.
That’s right: Ohio’s launch is the second-largest in legalized sports betting history.
Overall, more than $1.1 billion in wagers were placed, $880 million in winnings were paid out, and Ohio sports gaming revenue totaled $209 million, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
See the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s report below:
Suliman said the results are not surprising in the least.
“Ultimately, gaming in the state of Ohio delivers a tremendous amount of tax refund for the state and I think sports betting helps that,” added Suliman.
Suliman said the month of January was a good one for JACK.
Sports betting is just a piece of their puzzle, but they did bring in over $600,000 in new revenue.
“The month went as we expected it to. We were busy on our properties, our mobile app did well, and our customers have been excited about that,” Suliman said.
As for the future of sports betting in Ohio, Suliman expects to see those commercials for free bets to go away soon.
Sustaining success isn’t about a good ad, it’s about good customer service.
“Over time, you do have to peel back some of that marketing expense and you have to focus on the product,” said Suliman.
If you think you have a gambling problem or you know someone that does, reach out to Ohio’s gambling helpline at 1-800-589-9966.
