One month ago, on Jan. 1, many in Ohio were brimming with the excitement and enthusiasm that always flourishes on the first day of live, legal sports betting. A month later, the smallest players in the game are experiencing a reality they may not have expected.
While major operators from Barstool Sportsbook to Caesars to DraftKings have one more sports-crazy state to add to their bottom lines, those that own the bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, and grocery stores that hoped to benefit are starting to see that while legal sports betting can help to grow their businesses, it’s not the panacea they might have hoped for or been led to believe it would be.
