Harness racing in February is normally a test of the spectator rather than the horse. Miami Valley Gaming, at Lebanon in Warren County, is one of the few tracks in North America that solved that with a building: the grandstand is enclosed, heated and glazed, so a winter card is watched from a seat rather than endured from a rail. That single design decision is why this property behaves differently from the other six racinos in the state, and why its race nights hold a crowd that the outdoor tracks lose from October onward.
What it is, and what it is not allowed to be
The property replaced the old Lebanon Raceway and opened in December 2013, after the state authorised video lottery terminals at licensed racetracks in 2012. Its gaming floor answers to the Ohio Lottery Commission rather than to the casino regulator, and that licence permits video lottery terminals and nothing else. There is no blackjack pit, no craps, no roulette and no poker room here, and there will not be one under the present licence however many machines the floor holds. A terminal looks and pays like a slot machine, but the legal object underneath it is a lottery ticket.
The floor and the track
| Feature | Detail |
| Where | Lebanon, Warren County, between Dayton and Cincinnati |
| Opened | December 2013, on the site of Lebanon Raceway |
| Machines | More than 1,900 video lottery terminals |
| Tables and poker | None, and none permitted |
| Racing | Harness, from an enclosed grandstand |
| Dining | Six rooms, led by Cin City Sea and Steak |
| Hours | 24 hours, free parking |
| Hotel | None yet; announced as part of a $100 million expansion |
| Rating | 4.0 from more than 10,000 Google reviewers |
| Minimum age | 21 |
Two metros, one car park
Almost every other gaming floor in the state serves one city. This one sits roughly midway between Dayton and Cincinnati just off I-75, which means its Friday-night room is drawn from two populations rather than one and its weekday afternoons are genuinely quiet. That is a real advantage for a machine player who dislikes a crowded floor: the same building is busy and calm at predictable hours, and the hours are set by commuting patterns rather than by a single downtown.
The food is the strategy
Because the licence caps what can sit on the floor, the better racinos compete on everything around it, and this is the clearest example in the state. Six dining rooms run from Cin City Sea and Steak at the top down to a coffee counter, which is more outlets than several full casinos manage and considerably more than the two leanest racinos, which offer a sports bar and a lounge apiece. If you are bringing a group where only half the party plays, this is the property that solves the other half.
The expansion, and what to believe
A roughly $100 million project has been announced covering a hotel, a parking structure and a larger gaming floor. We checked the state of the works in September 2026 and the useful position for a visitor is that no accommodation is open yet, so plan a night here as a drive rather than a stay. Announced casino hotels in this state have a long history of moving; the central-Ohio property waited fourteen years for its tower, which finally opened in June 2026.
What it costs to play
Denominations start at a penny and run up through dollar machines into a small high-denomination bank, with $5 terminals as the practical ceiling for most of the floor. There is no table minimum to consider because there are no tables, which is either the property's main limitation or completely irrelevant depending on what you came for. Parking is free, which is standard across all seven of the state's racinos and is not true at the four casinos.
Is it the right racino for you
We compared machines, racing calendars, dining and access across the seven in September 2026. For a full evening of racing and food, this is the best choice among them, and its winter card is better than anything the outdoor tracks can offer between November and March. For sheer machine count the Columbus-area racino is larger, and for racing volume the Cleveland-area half-mile runs far more dates. If you want a card table or a poker seat, none of the seven will do and you need one of the four casinos instead. Our racino comparison sets out all seven.
Playing from a sofa instead
This state does not license real-money online casino play. Sweepstakes platforms run on a promotional, no-purchase-necessary model and are the usual at-home option; our payout-time testing covers how fast each one redeems. Minimum ages differ by operator and several require 21.
Frequently asked questions
Does Miami Valley Gaming have table games?
No. Its licence permits video lottery terminals only, which is true of every racino in the state.
Where is Miami Valley Gaming?
At Lebanon in Warren County, off I-75 roughly midway between Dayton and Cincinnati.
Does it have a hotel?
Not yet. One has been announced as part of a roughly $100 million expansion alongside a parking structure and a larger floor.
Can you watch the racing indoors?
Yes. The grandstand is enclosed and heated, which is why a winter card here draws a crowd that outdoor tracks lose.
What is the minimum age?
21, at every casino and racino in the state.
