The commission announced two policy violations in December and also sent a strongly worded letter to operators directing them to reassess their advertising and marketing materials.
There are multiple ways to bet on sports in Ohio legally now that the universal start date of Jan. 1, 2023 arrived:
*Betting online, with multiple online Ohio sportsbooks to choose from.
*Betting in-person at retail sportsbooks available at casinos, sports stadiums and other select locations.
*In-person betting will also be available at kiosks throughout Ohio at various Lottery-licensed retailers.
Here is everything to know about sports betting in Ohio:
Where can OH sports betting occur?
The OH sports betting law allows for wagers to be placed anywhere within state borders. That provision applies specifically to mobile sportsbook apps like those listed above.
The rules state that legal sports bets must take place within Ohio, although bettors need not be Ohio residents. Geolocation technology on your smartphone will verify that you are inside the state at the time of the wager.
How do you sign up at Ohio sportsbooks?
For mobile apps, the process can be completed entirely on a smartphone.
The first step is downloading the app of your choice onto your phone. The signup process will require identifying information including name, address, and Social Security number, among other items.
After completing that process, bettors can fund their account through a variety of methods. The signup process generally can be completed quickly, in time for Week 17 of NFL football on this particular date.
Which Ohio sports betting apps are live?
According to the Ohio Casino Control Commission, 16 mobile Ohio sportsbooks should be live on Jan.1:
-Barstool Sportsbook
-Betfred
-betJACK
-BetMGM
-Betr
-BetRivers
-Betway
-bet365
-Caesars
-DraftKings
-FanDuel
-Gamewise
-PointsBet
-Hard Rock
-SuperBook
-Tipico
There are also 12 retail sportsbooks ready to launch, including 10 casinos, FC Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Reds.
What apps are still pending launch?
There are five apps that have been licensed but are not listed with the Jan. 1 launchers:
-Bally’s
-Fanatics
-Out The Gate
-Parx
-Underdog Sports
-WynnBET is still pending a license, as it submitted its application after the deadline for first-skin applicants. PlayUp, meanwhile, is facing a disciplinary hearing that could see its application for licensure denied.
Fubo and MaximBet, which both shuttered their sportsbooks late last year, withdrew their applications. Prophet Exchange, which was partnered with the Columbus Blue Jackets, also withdrew its application.
How much could be bet in Ohio?
It might be the first year of legal betting for Ohio, but PlayOhio expects some big numbers from the Buckeye State.
Estimates suggest $8 billion in handle from Ohio this year. That would make the market the fourth-largest behind New York ($17.1 billion), Illinois ($11.4 billion) and New Jersey ($10.1 billion), according to PlayOhio‘s estimates.
A third of total wagers should be bets on football, according to those estimates. That makes sense considering the many passionate fanbases throughout the state for the NFL’s Bengals and Browns, along with Ohio State.
Meanwhile, basketball could account for 35% of bets.
Ohio sports betting a long time coming
Legal sports betting in Ohio took a long and winding path to legalization.
It looked like sports betting legislation was going to pass in 2020 until the senators in charge of the chamber’s bill decided to make some drastic changes late in the session. That essentially ended all talks and pushed the issue off to 2021.
Both chambers needed a conference committee to come to an agreement in 2021 but a bill was finally passed by both sides in December.
The last year has been filled with the Ohio Casino Control Commission writing rules and regulations while processing thousands of applications in order to launch the market by Jan. 1.
Source: GMB
