Sports betting in Ohio relies on the buddy system, as demonstrated by news of another formal partnership.
BetMGM announced on Tuesday that it is now an official sports betting partner of the Cincinnati Reds, cementing their long-running intentions for retail-wagering ties in the Buckeye State.
The multi-year agreement between the bookmaker and Major League Baseball team includes plans for a brick-and-mortar BetMGM sportsbook at the Reds’ Great American Ball Park.
BetMGM’s retail book will be open year-round. It will only be accessible outside the ticketed areas of the ballpark, according to a press release, on the northeast side of the venue where the Machine Room restaurant is currently located.
Signed, sealed, and almost delivered
The Reds have already received conditional approval for a brick-and-mortar sportsbook from the Ohio Casino Control Commission, with BetMGM listed as the proposed management services provider for the business.
In addition to offering statewide online sports betting, BetMGM intends to act as a retail operator for MGM Northfield Park and the Cedar Downs off-track betting facility as well.
Legal sports betting in Ohio is scheduled to start on Jan. 1, 2023.
"With sports gaming coming to Ohio, the Reds sought to bring the highest quality operator to our ballpark for those fans who choose to participate in sports gaming,” said Doug Healy, the chief financial officer of the Reds, in a press release. “BetMGM is renowned for their expertise in entertainment and sports gaming, and we believe their brand best fits our high customer standards and will also help draw visitors to our city."
A proprietary model for sports betting
Ohio’s sports-betting law initially allows for up to 25 online sports betting licenses to be awarded to “proprietors,” such as a casino or sports team, who can partner with up to two mobile management services providers, such as BetMGM.
The online licenses in Ohio are in addition to 40 permits for brick-and-mortar sportsbooks that are available for proprietors, who can also use a service provider to conduct those in-person wagering operations. Seventeen proprietors, including the Reds, have been conditionally awarded their retail licenses.
There are also more than 1,000 bars, restaurants, and other businesses in line to host sports-betting kiosks.
The retail sportsbook at the home of the Reds will be BetMGM’s second such facility at a Major League Baseball stadium. The first is the sportsbook the operator runs at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., which opened in January 2022.
BetMGM will have “prominently featured” signs at Great American Ball Park, including one that will be permanently plastered in the outfield, the press release noted. The operator, which is also an official sports betting partner of MLB, will have its own suite and club seats at the stadium, too.
"Today's announcement marks the beginning of our plans to create the most entertaining and dynamic sports betting experiences in Ohio," BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in the release. "Through our relationships with the Reds and MGM Northfield Park, we look forward to bringing unique BetMGM content to Ohio's passionate sports fans."
