Ohio Online Gambling Updates 2023

⭐ Online Gambling in Ohio

Legal mobile sports betting launched in the Buckeye State on the 1st of January 2023, alongside Ohio sportsbook promos.

In December 2021, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the long-awaited sports betting bill, and the Ohio Casino Control Commission drew up regulations for the industry – with the launch date set right in time for New Years. Now that legal mobile betting is live in Ohio, it’s time to look deeper into what we have in store for Ohioans.

⭐ Ohio Sports Betting

Ohio online sports betting launched on the 1st of January. The sports betting law allows up to 25 mobile licenses, which have been issued to professional sports teams, leagues, casinos and racinos. In addition, up to 40 licenses can be issued to operators who want to set up retail betting. Other key details include 10% tax rate, betting on esports is allowed, and operators are not required to get official league data for live bet settlement – unlike some other states like Michigan. You can also expect betting kiosks in the state. We’ve had the best mobile sportsbooks in the nation to open up shop in Ohio.

• BetMGM Online Sportsbook Ohio
• DraftKings Ohio Sportsbook
• Caesars Sportsbook Ohio
• BetRivers Ohio Sportsbook
• Bet365 Ohio Sportsbook
• SuperBook Ohio Sportsbook
• FanDuel Sportsbook
• WynnBET Ohio
• Bally Bet Ohio
• Betfred Ohio
• Hard Rock Sportsbook Ohio
• BarStool
• BetJACK Sportsbook Ohio
• BetFanatics
• PointsBet Ohio
• Betr Sportsbook
• Out The Gate (SPIRE Institute)
• Underdog (Fantasy operator launching micro betting operations), and others.

Legalization Timeline

• Despite some early controversy – Ohio opens online sports betting on 1st of January 2023.
• The Universal Start Date is slated to be January 1, 2023. Online sportsbooks may launch well before the due date of 1 January 2023 but not by a wide margin. Some popular sports betting companies have entered into partnerships with Ohio professional sports teams.
• Sports gaming applications that are either incomplete or received outside of the applicable window are not guaranteed consideration in time to begin operations on January 1, 2023 as per the OCCC regulations. The Commission has also published a list of criminal offenses for which a conviction,or plea of guilty may disqualify an individual from obtaining an initial license issued by the Commission.
• Ohio has also received considerable interest in type C licesing. A type C license holder can be a bar or tavern that wishes to offer sports gaming using self-service or clerk or kiosk operated sports gaming terminals located at the establishment. Some grocery chains in the state have applied for type C licenses.
• The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) accepted applications for most sports betting licenses from June 15 through July 15. There may be another window of opportunity for wagering opeators after it as the Commission will continue to accept applications after the universal start date application deadline. Betting operators like BetMGM, FanDuel, BetJACK, BetFanatics, PointsBet, and DraftKings have already applied for Ohio betting licenses.
• Winter 2022: Ohio Casino Control Commission begins to draft rules and regulations for the sports betting industry in Ohio.
• December 22, 2021: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signs HB29 into law; Gov. DeWine has been an outspoken supporter of online sports betting.
• December 8, 2021: Both Ohio House of Representatives and the Senate vote to pass sports betting legalization; both retail and online operations are approved
• December 6, 2021: The chambers come to an agreement on the sports betting bill, with all Type A licensees guaranteed at least one skin.
• November, 2021: Senator Schuring is hopeful the Senate and House can resolve their differences on betting legislation; key issue is the number of mobile licenses.
• June 16, 2021: The Senate passes SB176 following amendments to the bill; the House will not vote on the issue before Summer break.
• May 12, 2021: Sen. Kirk Schuring introduces SB176, which offers up to 40 betting licenses split between mobile and retail operators. Casinos, sport treams, and the lottery retailers all oppose the bill.
• 2018-2021: Several attempts by Ohio legislators to reach agreement on sports betting; no luck thus far.
• May, 2018: SCOTUS strikes down Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), letting states set up their own online wagering legislations.

Retail Sports Betting

You can expect to see retail sportsbooks launching during 2022. Currently, you can only bet on a horse race in Ohio, as racetracks and off-track betting are available. Once betting commences, expect to see a lot of wagers on the Browns playoff chances and the Bengals playoff chances, as the two football teams are close to finishing the NFL regular season. It’s safe to say the season’s gone better for the latter – who look to repeat their Super Bowl appearance.

Type C betting license covers betting at kiosks. Popular grocery giants in Ohio like Kroger and Acme Fresh Market have applied for a type C certification. Over 1100 retailers have been preapproved for type C licensing.

Horse Racing

Horse racing has been legal in Ohio since 1933, and it’s regulated by the Ohio State Racing Commission. The Ohio Racing Commission also regulates harness racing. The legislation approves pari-mutuel wagering at seven live horse racing racinos in the state.

Off-track betting is also available, and online horse race betting is allowed through sites such as TVG and TwinSpires, which offer a welcome bonus to new bettors. Out of the main online sportsbook operators, BetMGM already has their horse racing site up in Ohio.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports was legalized by then-governor John Kasich in 2018, and they are regulated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. Most major DFS sites such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fantasy Draft operate in Ohio. For DK and FanDuel, launching a gambling site will be no problem, so they are definitely looking to expand into OH when real money gambling takes off in the form of online sports betting.

⭐ Casinos in Ohio

The Buckeye state has retail, land-based casino sites which Ohio residents and others frequent. Players wanting to play at online casinos as of this moment will have access to Social casinos in Ohio. Those wanting to play at BetMGM Online Casino or BetRivers Online Casino in Ohio will have to wait for long as the state has not legalized real money casino sites as of now. Maybe in near future, you will have access to all online casino sits in Ohio.

Retail Casinos in Ohio

Ohio does not yet have legal online real money casino sites, but the state has a vivid retail casino game industry with 4 casinos and 7 racetrack casinos operating around the state at the major population centers like Columbus and Cleveland. The casinos carry casino table games, slot machines, poker rooms, and video poker; you can try out games like Mini Baccarat and Mississippi Stud. The racinos are limited to operating slot machine video lottery terminals. The legal gambling age for real money games in casinos is 21 years.

Hollywood casino in Ohio opened on 8 October 2012. The casino property has 1892 slots, 65 table games and 18 poker tables. Its slot games payout percentage in 2021 was 92.24% while the table games payout from 83 games was 77.70%

Casino Control Law Ohio

Land based Casinos were not legal in Ohio before 2009. Ohio casino gamblers gamblers visited casinos in nearby Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan where they were permitted in land based sites. In November 2009, Ohio voters approved for four casinos to be established in the state, one each in Toledo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus.

The consitutional amendment and casino control law required each licensed casino operator to pay an upfront license fee of $50 million per casino for workforce development. The casinos had to set aside at least $250 million for the development of each retail casino facility.

The casino regulator in Ohio publishes the whole casino revenue data on its website. Players can also check slot payouts (about 92%) , table games payout percentages and other data.

Ohio Casino Control Commission

The amendment also created the Ohio Casino Control Commission to license and regulate casino operators, management companies, key employees, casino gaming employees and gaming-related vendors. 2% of Ohio casino revenue goes for problem gamlbing and addiction funds while 51% of the revenue is meant for county funds.

Ohio Casino Control Commission is located at 100 E Broad St Fl 20, Columbus, OH 43215-3688 and has some other centers in the state.

Casino Licensing in Ohio

The Casino Control Law in Ohio requires every person conducting or participating in casino gaming to be licensed. As per the Division of Licensing and Investigations rules, license applicants include casino operators, management companies, gaming-related vendors, key employees and casino gaming employees.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission publishes a monthly list of licensed operators and individuals in the state.

Casinos in Ohio are legally regulated by the Casino Control Commission.

Table Games Rules

Ohio casinos are required to prominently publish a copy of the rules and payoff schedules for any Commission-approved table game if requested by a gambling patron. Each casino also has to clearly publish summary versions of these rules on their websites and apps. In short, all gambling is clearly approved by rules.

Note, for example, the VIP table room information from Hollywood casino, Toledo, OH for May 1 to May 31. On May 31, five guests were drawn each hour from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. to win $1,000 mycash. You got an entry ticket in the New VIP Gaming Room by holding one of the following hands: Free Bet Blackjack or Blackjack, Any Dealer Blackjack; Criss Cross Poker, 2 Pair On The Board; Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em , Flop Of The Same Suit; Mini Baccarat, Player or Banker Win By 6; Roulette. Terms applied.

Online Casinos

Legal gambling online is not yet a thing in Ohio, and although a sports betting bill has been passed into law, online casinos are not going to be legalized soon. However, with the success of Michigan online casinos, Ohio law makers might change their mind in the upcoming years as more gamblers go over the state lines with their money. The legalization of online betting has certainly brought the state closer to legalized online casinos.

Ohio Online Casino No Deposit Bonus

Players have the option to play at sweepstakes and social casinos online in the state. There are many sweepstakes casinos online that accept players from the Ohio and much of the USA. At these social casinos, you’ll play for prizes instead of real money.

⭐ Ohio Lottery Games

Ohio Lottery sells tickets for lottery games like Mega Millions, Powerball, and Lucky for Life, as well as five intrastate games: Classic Lotto, Rolling Cash 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 5. Online lottery is however not permitted yet and all lottery tickets must be purchased from brick-and-mortar retailers.

⭐ Responsible Gambling in Ohio

The state of Ohio tackles gambling addiction with the Ohio for Responsible Gambling (ORG). ORG brings together the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), the Ohio Lottery Commission and the Ohio Racing Commission.

Prevention strategies, education, awareness, problem gambling helpline (1-800-589-9966), national gambling helpline are some of the options for those addicted to gambling. Players have the option to seek help from various agencies. They can also put themselves on the self-exclusion list to stop gambling.

Casino owners and operators in Ohio are required to create, update and maintain Responsible Gambling Plans. Each casino has to have Helpline number on all promotional materials, player reward cards (loyalty programs), and ATMs on retail property.

Responsible gaming is taken very seriously in Ohio. This data shows voluntary excluded persons in the state.

As per the commission’s 2021 report, Ohio has over 5k self-exlcuded persons from gambling (Voluntary Exclusion Program or VEP) which is the highest in America.

Last updated: 03/09/2023