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The good news for all sports fans in Ohio is that online gambling is now legal. Ohio legislators passed an online sports betting bill in late 2021, which Governor Mike DeWine promptly approved. Since then, the process of approving sportsbook license applications has begun. There’s no clear timeline on when the first sportsbooks will launch in Ohio, but it’s predicted that the first sites will go live before the 2022 football season.
Whatever happens, the law states that betting in Ohio must begin by January 2023, meaning that sports betting fans only have to wait a year at most. Whether the state will also approve online casino gaming is another matter. Some US states have legalized sports betting and online casinos, but there’s no sign that this will happen in OH.
What’s Next for Gambling in Ohio?
Online gambling in Ohio is now legal, but it will still take some time to set up. The process of approving license applications may take several months. In the case of some other states, it took more than a year between the bill being passed and the first sportsbooks going live. If Ohio sports fans were hoping to bet on the NBA playoffs, they’re out of luck.
However, the good news is that most expect Ohio sportsbooks to go live before the start of the 2022 football season. This means betting on all the action from the NFL, including the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns. Before then, all that can be done is to wait.
While the start of the football season is the anticipated date for sports betting in Ohio, it could yet take longer. However, the first sportsbooks will definitely go live before January 2023. The Ohio Casino Control Commission will be responsible for the process and will be spending all of 2022 making sure that everything goes to plan.
Which Sites Will Launch
It’s unclear yet which sportsbooks will launch in Ohio, but as it’s a very lucrative market, the biggest names will be very interested. It’s expected that the likes of FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM, and more will all want to take a piece of the pie. Ohio sports bettors can look forward to a lot of variety and plenty of options.
In total, there will be twenty-five sportsbook licenses available. Twenty-one of these licenses will go to local sports teams as well as land-based casinos that already operate in the state. This means there’ll be a lot of competition for the remaining licenses.
Should online casinos be approved too, it’s very likely that the same sportsbooks will also launch their online casino platforms in Ohio. These sites will be able to partner with local casinos and sports teams.
