Ohio-based supermarket chain Kroger has installed sports betting kiosks in 20 of its stores across Cincinnati and Dayton, according to the Cincinnati Business Courier.
“This new feature allows Kroger to join other retailers in Ohio already offering this service,” a Kroger spokesperson said, adding, “the introduction of these kiosks will offer customers a new, convenient way to engage with a variety of sports and teams through sports wagering.”
The kiosks are in Kroger stores across the greater Cincinnati and Dayton areas, including Anderson Township, West Chester Township, Colerain Marketplace and Hyde Park. Kroger has yet to confirm if more locations will be added.
Kroger’s entry into sports betting followed its approval by the Ohio Lottery Commission in 2022, allowing the installation of kiosks in select stores starting Jan. 1, 2023, when legal sports betting was launched in Ohio.
With the installation of the kiosks, the number of locations offering sports betting in Greater Cincinnati has risen to 86. Ohio bettors placed $6 billion in wagers in the first 12 months of legal sports betting, though kiosk betting accounted for a small fraction of the total.
Max Bichsel, vice president of sports at Gambling.com Group, believes Kroger’s widespread presence and customer loyalty could boost kiosk betting and make it a prime spot for sports betting. “In terms of volume of wagers, not wager size, I suspect Kroger could be much more successful than a physical casino,” Bichsel told the Business Courier last year. “Kroger has the reach, loyalty and trust of Ohioans. Grocery stores like Kroger have enough foot traffic and returning customers to give retail sports betting a chance to be successful and profitable in comparison to casinos.”
