Ohio supermarkets push to add sports betting kiosks in 2023

Yahoo Finance Live anchors Dave Briggs and Seana Smith discuss how grocery stores like Kroger and Acme are pushing for sports betting kiosks in the state of Ohio.

Video Transcript

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DAVE BRIGGS: When you go to the grocery store, your usual list contains things like produce, eggs, meat. Well, if you live in Ohio, you could soon be adding another item to that list, a sports bet. Supermarket chains Kroger and Acme Fresh Market are reportedly applying for licenses that would allow them to add sports gambling kiosks at select locations throughout the state.

Over 1,000 bars, restaurants, and bowling alleys throughout Ohio are also making the same play. And we asked you on Yahoo Finance, where would you make a sports bet? Would you make it in a bar or restaurant, in a grocery store, in a bowling alley? Or are you solely going to make that bet online?

And the results are overwhelming, 75% take a hard pass on all that. 20% say they would do in a bar or restaurant. And I would have figured it was about 80/20. That was my guess.

SEANA SMITH: Yeah, exactly. I think it lined up with what we were talking about earlier on in the day. I do think, though, it makes sense for Kroger. I don't think it hurts to put these types of kiosks inside their store. If you do get a couple more people inside their store, maybe they'll go buy a few more items. So it couldn't make sense just in terms of revenue. You look very, very skeptical on this.

DAVE BRIGGS: I do. I am very skeptical.

SEANA SMITH: I think you, obviously, will see a lot more interaction, a lot more use from these kiosks in bars and restaurants. One, a lot of people go to those types of establishments to watch football games, to watch sporting events. That's num-- more likely the people, obviously, that are going to bet on these big games. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out across the country if more states follow Ohio's lead on this. But--

DAVE BRIGGS: Yeah, look, I agree with you. It probably can't hurt unless it attracts a crowd that you really don't want hanging around the grocery store--

SEANA SMITH: Right, OK.

DAVE BRIGGS: --which could be the case if you're Kroger. But to me, the bottom line is-- I don't know about you-- you go into a grocery store, at least I do, I want in, I want out.

SEANA SMITH: Oh, yeah.

DAVE BRIGGS: The last thing I want to do is linger five more minutes. Now, a bar or restaurant, I actually expected a little bit higher number there because you're sitting, you're hanging out, in particular if you're at a sports bar. That seems like the ideal location other than an app.

SEANA SMITH: You just can't compete with the phone because it's so easy. If you could place the bets online, why would you actually be-- even just getting up from your seat. I'm a little lazy. I think I would just do the mobile phone bet.

DAVE BRIGGS: Yeah, I'd also be curious, would you turn some of your customer base off if you are a Kroger? We're hopefully reaching out to their CEO to see if they want to talk about that. I don't know if all the moms want the mix of the sports gambling audience at the grocery store.

SEANA SMITH: Yeah.

DAVE BRIGGS: But maybe it's totally in a side, separate area. They have not been approved yet.

SEANA SMITH: Right.

DAVE BRIGGS: So we'll see.