Guide to Online Gambling in Ohio: The Best Ohio Gambling Sites for 2021
Gambling | Legal Since |
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Sports | Illegal |
Daily Fantasy | Legal Since: 2017 |
Casino | Illegal |
Poker | Illegal |
Lottery | Illegal |
Ohio Daily Fantasy Sports
It was late in December when Ohio Governor John Kasich gave daily fantasy sports fans in the state a Christmas present in the form of legislation. It passed with a sweeping majority, removing all of the uncertainty about the legality of the activity that had previously been rampant. Now, the law states that Ohioans over 18 may participate legally in online daily fantasy sports competitions through licensed operators. For some more information, check our page dedicated to Ohio daily fantasy betting. We are happy to say that DFS are quite spread and popular, and most importantly legal in many parts of the US, so if you are curious how things in other states work, you can take a look also at the opportunities that Dellaware daily fantasy betting grants you, for example.
- Our understanding of the Ohio gambling atmosphere is thorough, using the latest up to date legislative changes from the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
- We pay close attention to the breaking news as reported by trustworthy newspapers such as the Plain Dealer and the Dayton Daily News.
- We implement our insider’s view into our comprehensive how-to casino guides, the most popular of which are The Best Online Slots and The Best Online Roulette Guide.
Gambling Laws in Ohio
There are many forms of legal gambling in Ohio, including daily fantasy sports, a lottery, poker, casino games and betting on horse racing. The gambling laws in Ohio are currently some of the most likely to change, particularly when talking about the sports betting sections. Senator John Eklund seems to be pushing the legislation forward as much as possible in the wake of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA) being overturned. Eklund has been outspoken about his rather realistic outlook that, as more and more neighboring states begin to legalize sports betting, Ohioans will cross the borders to place their bets, or continue to bet illegally within the state borders.
If that were to remain the case, he says that there will be little in the way of player protection for Ohioans. Therefore, his thinking is that Ohio should tread the path of properly legislating and regulating the industry, protecting players and getting a cut of the profits for the state at the same time. Legislator also keep an eye out on Pennsylvania gambling, as the neighbouring state is a bit ahead in terms of regulations.
Ohio Sports
As with many other states, Ohio has long offered pari-mutuel betting on horse racing as its primary style of sports betting. That does look like it will soon open up to include many more types of sports betting, with the state’s Governor expecting new legislation to pass in 2019. At the time of writing, there is a bill in play but there have not been any further moves as yet, so the practice of betting on sports either online or in person in Ohio is still illegal. For detailed info, you can refer to the page dedicated to Ohio sports betting.
Ohio Casinos
Only commercial casinos and racinos – a combination of racetracks and casino games – will be found within the state. These are a relatively new addition, with the Ohio Casino Approval and Tax Distribution Amendment becoming law as recently as 2009. The following decade has seen 11 outlets open, seven of which are of the racing variety. The first Ohio casino to open was the Jack Cleveland Casino in Cuyahoga County, which opened its doors on May 14, 2012, closely followed by the Hollywood Casino Toledo on May 29 of the same year. Though all online casino gambling is illegal in Ohio, the swift introduction of the Amendment could see something similar occur for the internet version. Although there is currently nothing in the pipeline to suggest such a thing, we’ve already prepared a guide for casinos in Ohio which you might want to check out!
Ohio Poker
Poker fans will be able to play the game in one of the casinos or at one of the many poker rooms in the state. Most of the rooms and casinos also hold their own tournaments, mostly for Hold’em style games. Those looking to play the game online will be disappointed, however, as online poker is illegal in Ohio. This doesn’t look likely to change any time in the near future either, as there have not been any bills proposed in recent times.
Ohio Lottery
The Ohio Lottery is one of the longest-standing forms of gambling in the state, having been legalized in 1973. It’s also one of the only to have made tentative progression towards taking things online, with the introduction of the Lottery Card in 2018. This lets you pre-buy the cards from retail outlets like Krogers, then play the games through your mobile. The state-run organization has reportedly provided $24 billion of its profits to public education in the decades it has been running. The game options include both instant games and draws such as the multi-state Powerball. If you want to learn more, visit our page dedicated to lottery in Ohio.
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History of Gambling in Ohio
There have not been a lot of different changes in the Ohio legal gambling scene, as the state is usually pretty solid about its decisions and sticks to them. Some laws are even passed in surprise moves, like that with the legalization of casinos in 2009. Some other highlights of the timeline are listed below.
Year | Event |
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1790 | Lotteries are banned in Ohio. |
1933 | Pari-mutuel horse racing is introduced through a new tax. |
1973 | The Ohio Lottery is legalized. |
1975 | Bingo and raffles become legal when held by registered charities. |
2009 | An amendment allowing commercial casinos and racinos passes. |
2012 | The first casino opens in Ohio. |
2017 | Daily fantasy sports are legalized. |
Ohio State Facts
Ohio is one of the most populous states in the country, though it is by no means the largest. It has been the home and birthplace of a lot of very successful people from many different fields, though notably often in the context of flight. Airplane inventors, the Wright Brothers, hail from Ohio, as does the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong.
Population | 11,689,442 |
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Min. Income/month | $1,482 |
Biggest Offline Gambling Location | Hollywood Casino Columbus |
Gambling Commissioner | Ohio Casino Control Commission |
Spoken Languages | English, Spanish |
Biggest Local Sports Team | Cleveland Indians |
Ohio Tax Authority | Ohio Department of Taxation |
Link to the State Law | https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/ |
Gambling Winning Tax | 4% |
State Website Link | https://www.ohio.gov/ |
Famous Local Gamblers | Kevin Stammen |
Gambling Age in Ohio
There is a bit of inconsistency with the gambling ages in Ohio. Eighteen-year-olds in Ohio are able to partake in both online daily fantasy sports and the lottery, either through purchasing tickets in a retail store or through the mobile lottery card. They do, however, need to be above 21 years of age in order to play table and card games or slots at one of the state’s 11 casinos and racinos. However, at the racetracks, the minimum age for pari-mutuel wagers is 18.
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Online Gambling Age:
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Alcohol Age
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Weed Age
Responsible Gambling and Addiction Prevention
Ohio provides services for its residents who are struggling with gambling addictions through the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO), which is a state affiliate to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). There are also funds dedicated to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (MHAS). Through these organizations, Ohioans are able to access services such as a gambling helplines, treatment options and literary resources. The state also funds Ohio for Responsible Gambling, an initiative that promotes responsible gambling in collaboration with the Lottery Commission and Racing Commission.
Upcoming Regulation and Expected Changes
It looks very likely that Ohio will join the growing number of states with legal sports betting in the near future and it could even become one of the top locations for online gambling in the USA. At the time of writing, Ohio Senator John Eklund has predicted a change to occur in early 2019, giving his sports betting bill a 50/50 chance of making it through. Though Eklund says he is against mobile sports betting, he has said that he could be convinced of its viability should there be adequate protections in place.