Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Valley Expands Smoking Patio With 100 New Games

Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course opened an expanded video lottery terminal patio with 100 new games, a multi-million dollar project that brings the Ohio racino to 1,100 terminals across its gaming areas. Yahoo reported the expansion, which opened two weeks before the November 5, 2026 story.

Inside the Mahoning Valley Patio Expansion

The patio provides space equivalent to 60 feet by 50 feet and allows smoking, which is legal on patios under state law. Players can light up at the machines, and the new games include Thunder Empire, Huff N' Lots of Puff and Ultimate Fire Link.

"New games, new themes that they're used to, but brand new, clean, great response so far," said Erich Zimny, VP of Hollywood Gaming.

Zimny said the patio games carry the same odds as the main floor. "Your chances in here will be exactly the same as on the main floor," he said. "You'll see a lot of the same themes, a lot of the same VLT's in here as you'll see on the main floor. So not much difference."

Hollywood Gaming opened in 2014, added a smoking patio two years later when it became legal, and expanded it again in 2018. Zimny framed the latest addition around customer demand. "This is for them," he said. "Without the demand for our product, there wouldn't be a need to expand our facility, so great response from our guests."

The property is open around the clock and has 330 workers during horse racing season.

Hollywood Gaming's Terminal Count and Loyalty Reach

According to akta.pro company records, Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Valley opened in 2014 as a racino combining a one-mile thoroughbred racetrack with over 1,000 video lottery terminals under PENN Entertainment's Hollywood Gaming brand. The same records list live thoroughbred racing from October through April, with simulcast racing available year-round.

The property's PENN Play loyalty card works at all participating PENN Play destinations across PENN Entertainment's portfolio of 40+ properties, according to the same records. Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Valley Race Course is a PENN Entertainment-owned racino in Youngstown, Ohio.

What Comes Next for the Youngstown Racino

The expanded patio opened two weeks before the November 5, 2026 report. Live thoroughbred racing at the property runs from October through April, according to akta.pro company records.