Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course opened on 17 September 2014 at Austintown, just west of Youngstown. It rates 3.9 from more than 6,700 Google reviewers.
Like the Dayton property that opened three weeks earlier, it is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn Entertainment. Unlike Dayton, it runs thoroughbreds rather than harness racing — and that difference is the main reason to choose one over the other.
What's on the floor — and the Ohio rule
The floor opened with close to 1,000 video lottery terminals and added another 250 in a 2015 expansion, bringing it to roughly 1,250 VLTs.
As with every Ohio racino, VLTs are all it may offer. The state's four casinos — Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo and Cincinnati — hold the licences that permit live table games and poker; the seven racinos do not. So there is no blackjack, no craps, no roulette and no poker room here.
If you want a live pit near Youngstown, JACK Cleveland Casino is about seventy minutes north-west and has 89 tables and a 26-table poker room.
The racing
The track is a one-mile thoroughbred oval, eighty feet wide, banked at 3% through the stretches and 6% in the turns. Live racing runs from October through April — a winter meet, which is unusual and gives the track a distinct place on the regional calendar when most northern courses are dark.
A one-mile oval is a proper racing surface rather than the tight bullring some racinos operate, and the winter season means Mahoning Valley picks up horses and horsemen who would otherwise be idle.
Dining and the sportsbook
Five restaurants and bars, with live entertainment.
The one worth knowing is SB Restaurant, inside the sportsbook — a full menu of salmon, steak, wings and burgers with craft beer and cocktails, positioned so you can eat and watch the boards without leaving the betting area. It is a better-integrated sportsbook dining room than most regional properties manage.
There is no hotel on site.
Tips before you go
You must be 21 to gamble, the minimum age at every Ohio casino and racino.
The gaming floor is open 24 hours, seven days a week. The racing is seasonal — October to April only. If the track is the reason for the trip, do not plan a summer visit.
Austintown sits just off I-80 near the Pennsylvania line, which puts the property within reach of western Pennsylvania as well as north-east Ohio. Parking is on site and free.
Nearby alternatives
North-west, Northfield Park Racino is the harness track near Cleveland and JACK Thistledown Racino at North Randall runs both flat and harness cards. Downtown, JACK Cleveland Casino is the nearest full casino with live tables and poker.
For the full picture, see all Ohio in-person casinos.
FAQ
What are Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley's hours?
The gaming floor is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Live racing runs October through April on its own calendar.
How old do you have to be to gamble at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley?
You must be 21, the minimum age at every Ohio casino and racino.
Does Mahoning Valley have table games or poker?
No. As an Ohio racino it may offer only video lottery terminals. Live table games and poker are limited to the state's four licensed casinos.
What games are available at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley?
Roughly 1,250 video lottery terminals, after a 250-machine expansion in 2015 added to the original floor. There are no live table games.
When does racing run at Mahoning Valley?
Thoroughbred racing runs October through April on a one-mile oval — a winter meet, unusual among northern tracks.
Does Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley have a hotel?
No. There are five restaurants and bars on site, including SB Restaurant inside the sportsbook, but accommodation is elsewhere in the Youngstown area.
Rather play from your couch tonight? See our Ohio sweepstakes rankings.
Updated August 2026 · Details verified against Ohio Casino Control Commission and Ohio State Racing Commission records and the venue's official site. Hours and offerings change — confirm before you go.
