TOLEDO, Ohio — It's a sure bet that when legalized sports wagering kicks off in Ohio sometime this year, it'll be popular.
In December, Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine signed House Bill 29 into law, making the state one of 30 that will offer legalized sports betting.
Hollywood Casino Toledo General Manager Brad Hirsch said it couldn't come at a better time for them since they're in the middle of an expansion, which will include a new area called "The Barstool Sportsbook."
That space will be specifically designed to host sports wagering.
"We've got our current casino expansion going on right now and that'll be completed in February which is our new outdoor gaming terrace and this will be the next phase we go into by building a new sportsbook," Hirsch said.
Right now, sports betting is legal in Indiana and Michigan and Hirsch said the new facility will keep those people and revenue closer to home, with an added bonus.
"For those customers who have been going to Michigan from our area, it's a chance to keep them home and create additional revenue, jobs, and opportunity in the area," he said.
Under the state's new law, casinos, stadiums, bars, and restaurants will have the ability to apply for gambling licenses, with the industry being regulated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
The wording of the law states that sports betting must be up and running no later than Jan. 1, 2023.
All that's keeping that from happening is working out the logistics of things, such as taxes, which will help to support K-12 public and private education.