The lottery and casino control commissions of Ohio has reported that the state’s gambling revenue rose to a record $1.94 billion in 2019.
Continuing a year-to-year upward trend, it brought the total to $11.9 billion in gambling revenue since Ohio’s first casino opened in May 2012. That sum accounts for the money left after facilities pay out winnings for slot machines and table games, but it does not include profits from horse wagering or food sales.
The total gambling revenue for last year was up more than 4% from $1.86 billion in 2018. The “racinos,” which offer only chance-based slot machines, brought in $1.1 billion, an increase of 6.2% from 2018. The casinos saw a smaller increase of 1.6% and logged $851 million in gambling revenue. Taxes and fees send about one-third of the revenue to the state.
