Sports Betting Goes Live In Ohio On Jan. 1
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Sports betting in Ohio is going live on Jan. 1, 2023.
At a meeting Wednesday, the Ohio Casino Control Commission made the sports betting date official. Gaming regulators previously had said sports wagering would not be live in Ohio until on or about the first day of next year.
The sports betting bill that Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law late last year requires legal sports betting to start no later than Jan. 1, 2023, though it could have started earlier. Therefore, the best Ohio online sportsbooks will become available as soon as we get into 2023.
No Early Season Football Betting
Some lawmakers were hopeful sports betting would begin in time for college and pro football season in late August and early September.
Under the new law, bettors in Ohio will be allowed to wager legally on college and professional sports and other events, including the Olympics.
Ohio is home to popular college teams such as the Big 10’s Ohio State Buckeyes and the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals were the most recent AFC representative in the Super Bowl, losing 23-20 to the NFC champion Los Angeles Rams on Feb. 13.
Though some in Ohio had hoped wagering would begin at least in the early fall, the commission recently revealed on its website that sports betting would not be live in time for the start of football season or Major League Baseball’s World Series.
With a Jan. 1 start date, bettors still will be able to wager legally on college football title games and the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl early next year with well known brands such as Caesars Ohio sportsbook. The same goes for BetMGM Ohio which will launch on the same date just in time for NFL playoffs.
Gaming officials said they need time before the end of this year to ensure everything is in order before anyone in Ohio can place a legal sports bet. Still, local bettors will get to use the amazing Ohio betting bonuses on NFL playoffs.
Among other tasks, gaming authorities must investigate 3,000 applicants seeking a license to operate online sportsbooks or ticket windows at brick-and-mortar sites.
All Bookmakers Start On Same Day
The new law allows Ohio to have as many as 50 mobile sportsbooks and 40 land-based betting sites.
According to a Casino Control Commission report, the land-based sportsbooks can be located at four casinos, seven racinos, and 10 professional sports venues.
In addition, betting kiosks will be available in bars and restaurants with liquor permits.
Unlike New York and other places that allowed bookmakers to start on different dates, Ohio’s authorized bookmakers, whether mobile or retail, will begin on the same date.
Sports Betting Legal In Surrounding States
Ohio is the seventh most populous state, with more than 11.7 million residents. With a population that large, sports wagering is expected to be popular in Ohio.
The state is home to teams in every major professional sport, including football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey and soccer.
Of the five states that border Ohio, sports betting already is live in all except Kentucky. A bill to legalize sports betting in Kentucky died in the legislative session's final hours this year.
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