BetMGM to Operate Retail Sportsbook at Cincinnati Reds Ballpark

Posted on: October 12, 2022, 10:34h. 

Last updated on: October 12, 2022, 12:32h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

BetMGM and the Cincinnati Reds have announced that Major League Baseball’s oldest franchise will host a retail sportsbook at Great American Ball Park.

Great American Ball Park
A view from the upper deck at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Reds, who play at the park, announced a partnership with BetMGM, which plans to operate a retail sportsbook at the stadium. (Image: redlegsfan21/Wikimedia Commons)

There’s no official opening day for the brick-and-mortar facility, BetMGM spokeswoman Elisa Richardson told Casino.org. Sports betting in Ohio is slated to go live on January 1.

As part of the multi-year deal between the partners, the Machine Room restaurant on the third-base side of the park will be transformed into a sportsbook. It will be open year-round and only accessible from outside the ticketed areas of the park.

The agreement also calls for BetMGM signage to be installed at the stadium. That includes on the outfield wall and behind home plate. BetMGM also will get signage on a foul pole during select games.

Reds: BetMGM Brand ‘Fits’ with Team

Doug Healy, CFO for the Reds, said in a statement that the team wanted to partner with a premium operator for its retail sportsbook license.

“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,” Healy said.

Ohio’s sports betting law allows for the Casino Control Commission to approve up to 40 retail sportsbooks in the state’s most populous counties. Hamilton County, where Cincinnati is located, is one of three that can have up to five retail books.

Great American Ball Park will become the second MLB stadium with a BetMGM sportsbook, joining Nationals Park in Washington D.C., which opened in January. In June, Caesars Sportsbook opened a retail facility at Chase Field, home to the Arizona Diamondbacks. DraftKings, meanwhile, is constructing a sportsbook at historic Wrigley Field in Chicago.

The sports betting law also allows for 25 proprietors, such as casinos or pro sports teams like the Reds, to serve as partners with up to 46 online sports betting operators. In addition to the retail partnership with BetMGM, the Reds applied for an online license with Underdog Sports.

BetMGM’s online app, though, still will be available to Reds fans at the park.

BetMGM Has Big Plans for Ohio

For BetMGM, the Reds sportsbook is one of three retail outlets it seeks to operate in the state. It also applied to get licenses for MGM Northfield Park, a racino near Cleveland, and the Cedar Park off-track betting parlor located in Sandusky.

The company is also seeking an online sports betting license through MGM Northfield, which MGM Resorts International operates. BetMGM is a joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain.

Today’s announcement marks the beginning of our plans to create the most entertaining and dynamic sports betting experiences in Ohio,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt in a statement. “Through our relationships with the Reds and MGM Northfield Park, we look forward to bringing unique BetMGM content to Ohio’s passionate sports fans.”

The Ohio Casino Control Commission has given conditional approval to the Reds for its online and retail sportsbook license applications. Northfield Park has also received conditional approval for its online and retail applications.

The commission is still reviewing BetMGM’s retail and online operator applications.