BEREA, Ohio — Ohio’s long-awaited foray into sports betting inched closer to reality Tuesday morning as the Cleveland Browns and Bally’s Interactive entered into a “multi-faceted” long-term partnership.
“We are excited to partner with such a historic pro football franchise to secure sports betting market access in Ohio, and bring to its fan base more ways to engage through our online gaming platforms,” said Adi Dhandhania, Chief Operating Officer of North America for Bally’s Interactive. “The Browns’ stadium and gameday atmosphere provide a great opportunity for us to showcase our Bally Bet Sportsbook app and Bally Play products in Ohio.”
According to the team, the partnership will feature various fan-focused elements and will establish Bally’s as the official sports betting partner for the team. Licensing and regulatory approvals are still pending.
The partnership will be on full display at FirstEnergy Stadium with a branded lounge and the launch of the “Bally Bet Sportsbook” app in Ohio. The early stages of identifying the location within the stadium are underway and are expected to be finalized in the coming months. Anyone 21 and older will be able to access the lounge, which will not only show the active Browns game, but games throughout the NFL on that day.
Free-to-play opportunities will be available for fans in the state. A “predictor game” will give fans a chance to earn “Browns-themed, non-cash” promotional prizes.
The Browns will be the 18th state in which Bally’s Interactive will have market access for sports betting in the country.
“In addition to their incredible resources and expertise, Bally’s Interactive has the fan-first mindset that is consistent with our focus and pivotal to creating successful, fully-integrated sports betting experiences, and we look forward to supporting Bally’s efforts to provide these innovative opportunities to Browns fans and all sports fans in Ohio in the near future,” said Haslam Sports Group Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Jenkins. “As we continue to work closely with sports betting regulators in our state to ensure a responsible and timely launch, we are excited and confident that our partnership with Bally’s will ultimately offer industry-leading benefits to fans throughout Cleveland and Ohio.”
Related Stories:
Editor's note: The video above is from an unrelated story on sports betting in Ohio published on December 9, 2021