Ohio Now Accepting Sports Betting Applications

We are one step closer to seeing Ohio sportsbooks based within the state. Bars and restaurants that are based in Ohio are now allowed to begin the application process to add a sportsbook to their premises on Friday.

Any businesses interested in adding sports betting to their portfolio will have until August 15 to complete their application forms in order to begin by January 1, 2023, which is when state-based sports betting will become legal in Ohio. Until now, the only sports betting sites that Ohio bettors have been able to use online are offshore sportsbooks.

Offshore sportsbooks are likely to remain popular, but this will now give users an additional range of choices when it comes to placing their sports wagers.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed the legislative bill to legalize sports betting at the end of 2021, which will also include the legalization of sports betting apps too. It is believed that there could be as many as 50 different mobile operators that are interested in running in Ohio, although it will take some time before that many are licensed.

An Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) report speculates that there will be sportsbooks located at 10 professional sports venues, seven racinos and four casino, while it will also be available at kiosks within bars and restaurants that hold liquor permits.

The OCCC have also confirmed the following list of applicants so far: JACK Cleveland Casino and PlayUp; HOF Village Newco-Instabet; Cincinnati Bengals-Betfred; MGM Northfield Park-BetMGM; Scioto Downs-Caesars Sportsbook; Hard Rock Cincinnati-Hard Rock Sportsbook; Cleveland Browns-Bally Bet; Columbus Blue Jackets-Fanatics; Columbus Crew-Tipico; Muirfield Village Golf Club-Parx Interactive; Cincinnati Reds-Underdog Sports; Cleveland Cavaliers-Fubo; Hollywood Casino Columbus-Barstool Sportsbook; Cleveland Guardians-bet365; Hollywood Casino Toledo-DraftKings; Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley-PointBet; FC Cincinnati-SuperBook; SPIRE Institute-Out the Gate. Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway, Belterra Park and Miami Valley Gaming have also applied to host online sportsbooks.

Applications that are submitted after August 15 will be considered, but those that are approved will not be in the initial group that are able to begin taking bets from January 1, 2023.

This was confirmed by Jessica Franks, the OCCC’s Director of Communications, who said: “We will continue to accept applications after this date; however, those applicants will not be guaranteed to start on January 1.”