A rendering of the renamed Jack Cincinnati Casino(Photo: Provided)

Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati will become Jack Cincinnati Casino under a new brand name unveiled by owner Rock Gaming on Tuesday.

Rock Gaming, the gambling arm of Detroit mortgage mogul Dan Gilbert, renamed itself Jack Entertainment. The switch comes a year after the company bought out former operating partner Caesars Entertainment and decided months ago to assume day-to-day operations of its gambling properties.

The transition will come to the Cincinnati casino in June. Company officials wouldn't break out property-specific costs, but said the rebranding will cost $40 million for the entire switch that includes ThistleDown Racino and Horseshoe Cleveland as well as Greektown Casino in Detroit.

"Jack wants to make it fun for guests, it's not optional, it's mandatory," said Jack Entertainment chief marketing officer Darlene Monzo.

Also changing with the name and management is the casino's loyalty card program, which will be called ClubJack.

The brand is aimed at being slightly friendlier, more approachable name than the Horseshoe moniker that built a cool, sleek reputation as a gambling aficionado's destination.

The Horseshoe brand belongs to Caesars Entertainment that was tapped by Gilbert after successfully campaigning in 2009 to get Ohioans to approve a constitutional amendment to legalize casinos. Knowing the properties in Cincinnati and Cleveland would compete with Penn National's Hollywood brand casinos, Caesars agreed to use its Horseshoe brand in Ohio.

A strong brand became even more important in 2011 after Gov. John Kasich gave Ohio's seven racetracks the green light to install video slots, making them "racinos" and flooding the state with competition. Since opening in 2013, Horseshoe Cincinnati has emerged as the Cincinnati region's No. 1 gambling destination with about 25 percent local market share.

Last year, Horseshoe Cincinnati raked in $196.5 million in gambling revenue (or what the house won), according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission, based on more than $1.9 billion wagered there. Its sister property in Cleveland drew $212.7 million.

Jack Entertainment's operations now include properties in four states, employing 7,000 and generating more than $1 billion in revenue.

Since then, Gilbert has expanded his gambling empire beyond Ohio, acquiring Turfway Park in Florence, a stake in the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore and Detroit's Greektown Casino. Assuming control of Greektown in 2013 was the start of Jack's "outstanding gambling team" and prompted the company to assume management of its other properties, said CEO Matt Cullen.

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