2 places apply for sports betting kiosks

VW independent staff

A pair of Van Wert establishments are among more than 1,000 statewide that want a sports betting kiosk once legalized sports gambling begins in Ohio.

Fricker’s on Fox Road and Olympic Lanes on W. Ervin Rd. have been preapproved by the Ohio Lottery Commission.

House Bill 29 paved the way for gambling on collegiate and professional sporting events. It will take effect January 1, 2023, and it created several ways for anyone 21 or older to place bets, including mobile apps, physical sportsbooks and the kiosks that will be available in bars, restaurants and bowling alleys.

The kiosks will be under the Ohio Lottery Commission’s umbrella, but the Type-C licenses needed will come from the Ohio Casino Control Commission. For a business to apply, it needs to be a licensed lottery retailer and have a D-1, D-2, or D-5 liquor permit, which are reserved for businesses that serve alcohol on the premise. The license holder must be a for-profit establishment, which eliminates VFW posts or such organizations as an Eagles Club or Moose Lodge.

There is a non-refundable $1,000 fee during the application process and once a license is issued, it will be valid for three years.

Any business that wants a kiosk on the January 1 start date must submit an application to the Casino Control Commission by August 15. The Casino Control Commission will continue to accept applications after the August 15 deadline, but submitting an application before the deadline guarantees review before sports gambling starts.

Other area establishments on the preapproval list include Pla-Mor Lanes in Coldwater; Grillers Tavern in Columbus Grove; Delphos Recreation Center; Marko’s Sports and Spirits, Fat Jack’s Pizza, Elmview Pizza and Pub, Westgate Lanes, and Fat Jack’s Pizza III in Lima, and Alpha Cafe and Astro Lanes in Wapakoneta. No Paulding County businesses have submitted an application.