Kroger’s Ohio Locations Will Soon Offer Gambling — Eat This Not That

By Ghuman

Introduction

Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the United States, is making a big move in Ohio. The company has announced that it will soon offer gambling at its Ohio locations. This is a major shift for the company, which has traditionally focused on providing groceries and other household items. The move is part of a larger effort to diversify its offerings and provide customers with more entertainment options. This article will explore the details of Kroger’s new gambling initiative and what it could mean for customers in Ohio.

Kroger’s Ohio Locations Will Soon Offer Gambling

Kroger, the nation’s largest grocery chain, is expanding its offerings in Ohio. Starting in 2021, select Kroger locations in the state will offer gambling services, including sports betting, lottery tickets, and more.

The move is part of a larger effort by Kroger to diversify its offerings and increase revenue. The company has already begun offering services such as banking, financial advice, and even home delivery in some locations.

Kroger’s Ohio locations will be the first in the nation to offer gambling services. The company is partnering with the Ohio Lottery Commission to provide the services. Customers will be able to purchase lottery tickets, bet on sports, and play other games of chance.

Kroger is hoping that the move will help attract more customers to its stores. The company is also hoping that the new services will help increase its profits. Kroger is already one of the most profitable grocery chains in the country.

Kroger’s Ohio locations are expected to begin offering gambling services in 2021. The company is still working out the details of the program, but it is expected to be up and running by the end of the year.

Kroger’s move into the gambling industry is sure to be controversial. Some people are concerned that the company is taking advantage of vulnerable people who may be more likely to gamble. Others are worried that the company is taking away from traditional gambling establishments.

Only time will tell if Kroger’s gamble pays off. But for now, it looks like Ohioans will soon have a new way to gamble.

With grocery prices hitting their highest in forty years, shoppers might be looking for any way to save money–or win it. And soon, Kroger may have just the thing. 

America’s largest grocery retailer has applied for a license to own sports gaming kiosks at several locations in Ohio, which would go into effect as early as next year. So far, Kroger has been pre-approved for the upgrade at 43 of its 211 locations across the state, and so have 1,100 other businesses like bars and restaurants that want to carry the machines, according to Cleveland.com.

Gaming Kiosks for sports betting
KIOSK Information Systems

At these gaming kiosks, shoppers will be able to participate in a variety of betting activities, including spreading wagers, over-under wagers, money line wagers, and parlay wagers. And for retail outlets like Kroger, the kiosks will bring in additional foot traffic.

The bill that legalized sports betting in the Buckeye state was signed in December of 2021. However, the activity will not be fully legal until January 1, 2023, and Kroger locations are working to get their licenses squared away so they can be fully operational when the clock strikes twelve.

The Ohio state law created a number of different ways in which to legally place bets, including mobile apps, physical sportsbooks, and kiosks. The kiosks, like the ones Kroger will carry, will fall under the control of the Ohio Lottery Commission.

In the four years since the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports betting, the activity has become legal in more than two dozen states, but only for in-person betting. Maine and Kansas have joined that list this year and five more states are currently pending.

For many states, the allure of sports betting lies in tax revenue. Since June 2018, states have gained more than $1 billion in taxes cashed out by sportsbooks, according to Legal Sports Report’s revenue tracker.

Amber Lake

Amber Lake is a staff writer at Eat This, Not That! and has a degree in journalism from UNF in Jacksonville, Florida. Read more