Casinos in Ohio

History of Gambling in Ohio

Ohio’s path to commercial casino gaming was neither quick nor straightforward. For much of the twentieth century the state maintained some of the strictest anti-gambling laws in the Midwest. Charitable gaming — bingo and raffles — was permitted under tightly regulated conditions, and horse racing at licensed tracks had operated since the 1930s, but full-scale casino gaming remained illegal until voters changed that calculus in a single election.

In November 2009, Ohio voters approved Issue 3, a constitutional amendment that authorized four destination casinos in the state’s four largest cities: Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Toledo. The measure passed with roughly 53 percent support and represented one of the most consequential ballot decisions in Ohio gambling history. Issue 3 specified that each facility would be owned and operated by private licensees, with a 33 percent tax on gross casino revenue directed toward education funding, local governments, and the Ohio Casino Control Commission.

Penn National Gaming secured the Columbus and Toledo licenses, while Rock Gaming — a partnership led by Detroit Pistons owner Dan Gilbert — won Cleveland and Cincinnati. Construction moved quickly. By May 2012 all four casinos had opened their doors, giving Ohio one of the fastest casino buildouts of any state in the modern era. The four original properties collectively added thousands of permanent jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in annual tax revenue to the state.

A parallel track opened the door for racinos. In 2012 the Ohio Lottery Commission authorized video lottery terminals at the state’s seven commercial horse tracks, creating a hybrid “racino” format. Existing tracks including Northfield Park, Scioto Downs, and Thistledown quickly converted, expanding casino-style gaming to markets not covered by the four commercial casino licenses.

Sports betting arrived in January 2023 after years of legislative debate. Ohio launched with a full ecosystem of retail sportsbooks at casinos and stadiums alongside mobile apps, and the market grew rapidly — within its first year Ohio established itself as one of the top-ten sports-wagering states by handle, driven partly by the state’s passionate sports culture around the Cleveland Guardians, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Reds, and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Casino Properties

JACK Cleveland Casino sits at 100 Public Square in the heart of downtown Cleveland, occupying the historic Higbee Building — a landmark Art Deco structure that opened in 1931 as a department store. The casino preserves much of the original architecture while housing more than 100,000 square feet of gaming space with over 1,700 slot machines and 60 table games. The downtown location makes it a natural stop on visits to nearby Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the lakefront. Guests can reach the property at +1-216-297-4777.

JACK Cleveland is operated under the JACK Entertainment brand. The parent structure evolved after Rock Gaming partnered with VICI Properties, a real estate investment trust that now owns the underlying real estate of the Cleveland and Cincinnati JACK casinos under long-term lease arrangements — a structure common across the gaming industry.

JACK Cincinnati Casino opened at 1000 Broadway in the downtown Cincinnati entertainment district in March 2013. The purpose-built facility spans multiple levels with a gaming floor offering slots, table games including blackjack, craps, roulette, and poker, as well as multiple dining and bar outlets. Its location near Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium makes it convenient for sports fans visiting the city. Contact the property at +1-513-252-0777 or visit jackcincinnati.com.

Hollywood Casino Columbus is operated by Penn Entertainment (formerly Penn National Gaming) at 200 Georgesville Road on the west side of Columbus. The property opened in October 2012 and remains one of the highest-revenue casinos in Ohio, benefiting from its position in the state capital and its largest metropolitan area. The gaming floor features over 2,200 slot machines, nearly 90 table games, and a dedicated poker room. Hollywood Casino Columbus also offers a hotel tower, multiple restaurants, and a live entertainment venue. Reach the property at +1-614-308-3000.

Hollywood Casino Toledo operates at 777 Hollywood Blvd in East Toledo and serves the greater Toledo region as well as visitors from southeastern Michigan. Penn Entertainment opened the facility in May 2012 as one of the four original constitutional casinos. The Toledo property is more compact than Columbus but delivers a full complement of slots, table games, and a poker room. It also offers dining options and a hotel. The casino can be reached at +1-419-661-5200.

MGM Northfield Park represents the convergence of the racino and commercial casino sectors. Located at 10777 Northfield Road in Northfield, approximately 20 miles southeast of Cleveland, the property is built adjacent to Northfield Park, one of Ohio’s premier harness racing tracks. MGM Resorts International assumed operation of the facility — which had previously operated under the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park brand — expanding its Ohio footprint significantly. The property features a large gaming floor with video lottery terminals, live table games, a hotel, and dining. The combination of live harness racing and Las Vegas-style casino amenities makes MGM Northfield Park a distinctive destination. Contact the casino at +1-330-908-7625.

Players Club Programs

Each of Ohio’s major casino operators runs a structured loyalty program that rewards regular visitors with free play credits, dining offers, hotel rate discounts, and event access.

At JACK Cleveland and JACK Cincinnati, the rewards program is JACK Rewards. Enrollment is free at the players club desk and a card is issued on the spot. Points accumulate on slot play and table game wagers and can be redeemed for a range of benefits including free slot play, dining credits, and show tickets. Tier levels — standard, Preferred, Elite, and Chairman — unlock progressively better perks including dedicated service lines, complimentary hotel stays, and invitations to exclusive events.

Penn Entertainment operates the mychoice rewards program across Hollywood Casino Columbus and Hollywood Casino Toledo. mychoice is a national program accepted at Penn’s 40-plus properties across the country, meaning points earned in Columbus or Toledo can be used at sister properties in other states. Tiers include mychoice, mychoice Preferred, mychoice Elite, and mychoice Limitless. Benefits scale with tier level and include hotel upgrades, priority access, and free play.

MGM Northfield Park participates in the MGM Rewards program, one of the largest casino loyalty ecosystems in the country. Members earn Tier Credits and Resort Credits on gaming, hotel stays, dining, and entertainment spend across MGM’s national portfolio. Reaching higher tiers — Pearl, Gold, Platinum, Noir — unlocks benefits that span MGM properties nationwide including MGM Grand Las Vegas and Bellagio.

Signing up before your first play session is strongly recommended at any Ohio property — points cannot typically be credited retroactively for play prior to enrollment.

Legal Framework and Responsible Gaming

Ohio’s commercial casino industry is regulated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), an independent state agency established by the 2009 constitutional amendment. The OCCC is responsible for licensing casino operators, key employees, and gaming equipment, as well as auditing casino operations and enforcing compliance with Ohio’s gaming laws. The Commission also oversees the integrity of gaming through surveillance standards and independent testing of electronic gaming devices.

Video lottery terminals at Ohio’s racinos — including the gaming floor at MGM Northfield Park — fall under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Lottery Commission rather than the OCCC, reflecting the hybrid legal structure of those facilities.

Ohio law permits casino gaming for individuals 21 years of age and older. All five commercial properties are required to maintain responsible gaming programs including self-exclusion options. The Ohio Voluntary Exclusion Program allows individuals to ban themselves from all Ohio casinos for a self-selected period of one year, five years, or permanently. Individuals who enter a casino while on the exclusion list are subject to removal and forfeiture of any winnings.

For problem gambling assistance, Ohio operates a confidential helpline at 1-800-589-9966 and funds treatment services through the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Resources are available at no cost to Ohio residents regardless of whether they have a diagnosed gambling disorder.

Ohio does not currently permit online casino gaming or online poker. Sports betting launched in January 2023 through a combination of retail and mobile channels licensed by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. Mobile sports betting apps from major national operators are available to Ohio residents and visitors, with geographic restrictions enforced at the state border.