Although the Buckeye State isn’t the biggest gaming market when compared to the likes of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the territory has been making waves since its residents voted to allow commercial gambling in 2009. Today, the Ohio gambling market is one of the largest in the United States due to its land-based casino and racino gambling properties.
This page will guide readers through all forms of legal Ohio gaming, and will discuss the key Ohio gambling laws as enforced by the ohio gambling commission (Ohio Casino Control Commission). The page covers topics such as land-based and online casinos, sports betting, and more. If you have a specific topic in mind and would like to learn more, simply click on the contents menu below and jump to your chosen section.
Gambling Options in Ohio: What is Available
Contents
Although gambling has been a popular human activity for centuries, laws have restricted the activity, especially in the U.S. The Ohio gambling laws have transformed in recent decades, and now the state has 100% legal gambling. That being said, the territory currently only houses 11 gaming establishments. Below, we discuss what is and what isn’t legal in the state of Ohio. The page discusses both land-based casinos as well as the online gambling Ohio offers.
Land-Based Casinos in Ohio
Casino gaming was outlawed throughout most of Ohio’s history, but the state couldn’t resist the strong currents that have flown towards legalizing the activity. A significant change to the Ohio gambling laws came in 2009, when casino gaming was legalized. The first land-based Ohio casino was opened in 2012 and now there are four land-based casinos, which service the various regions of the state.
At the four land-based gambling locations, players can legally play all of the most popular Vegas-style casino games. While many Americans have to travel to tribal lands to play casino games, Ohioans only need to go to Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, or Toledo. It doesn’t matter if you like slots, poker, or blackjack. Ohio gamblers will find them all at one of the state’s casino locales. The state offers 7 ‘racinos’ as well but these only can legally carry VLT terminal games.
Online Casinos in Ohio
A lot of players are curious about the Ohio online gambling laws, and many people wonder whether or not online casino games are available. At this time, there are no legal sites, at which to play online casino games for real money in Ohio. You will see a few sites that claim that Ohioans can play, but these websites are lying to you. That being said, the infrastructure for Ohio online casino gaming is there, as evident by the free play online casinos available to Ohioans.
- slots
- baccarat
- poker
- blackjack
- roulette
- video-poker
- sic bo
- scratch cards
The four Ohio land-based casinos each offer online casino games. The only caveat is that the games will not payout real money. Nevertheless, players can spin their favorite reels as well as some of the world’s premier online slot and table games. The games are playable with computers or android and iOS mobile devices. We’ll update this page should things change regarding the online gambling Ohio options out there.
Ohio Sports Gambling
Currently, there is no way to legally gamble on sports in Ohio. However, the tide has turned in the U.S. due the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize sports betting outside of Nevada. Many states want a piece of the pie in a market estimated to be worth $100 billion annually. Senate Bill 111 looks to legalize the activity and put it under the control of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, which currently regulates all games of chance. The question isn’t whether sports betting will be legalized, but rather what its legal form will look like. SB 111 lays out some regulations and could potentially open sports betting to casino and racino locations.
Online Sports Betting in Ohio
Recent reports even suggest that Ohio sports gambling may even include online and mobile play, which is the preferred way to play for players around the world. Ohio’s online sports betting though will probably be less similar to that of the UK and more to that of Las Vegas. Essentially what this means is that players will have access to online sports bets, but only ‘within’ casino locations. Players won’t have to walk all the way to the sportsbook in the casino but won’t be able to bet from home like players around the world. Bills tend to take a while to pass, so it may be a wile before state residents can place their first legal sports bets, but once the laws change, we’ll update this site and point you towards the best ways to play.
Ohio Daily Fantasy Sports
Even though legal sports gambling has not made it to Ohio yet, it doesn’t mean sports enthusiasts have zero options. In 2017 the state joined a handful of others and passed laws to regulate the daily fantasy sports contests. Daily Fantasy or DFS is regulated by the Casino Control Commission and is thus legal in the state. Not all states believe that DFS qualifies as sports betting and that is why you will find daily fantasy contests in many states that have yet to legalize sports gambling.
Online Poker
Online poker doesn’t suffer from the same troubles as DFS when it comes to its definition. Regulators are in agreement that poker is gambling. Since online gaming hasn’t made it to Ohio yet, it is not possible to play poker online for real money. The only Ohio gambling poker options are the land-based poker rooms found at the state’s four land-based casinos. You can play online poker for free at the online casinos mentioned above, but you can’t play with, or for real money.
The Ohio State Lotteries
Ohio, like many places in the United States has a lottery. To play the Ohio Lottery a person must be 18 years or older. This differs from the gambling age in Ohio, which is 21+. Players also can take part in any of the nationwide lotto contests, such as Powerball and Mega Millions. Currently there is no way to play the lottery online in the state. There is an official Ohio Lottery app, but this can only be used to redeem winnings or scan in tickets.
Ohio Gambling Overview
Ohio isn’t the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of American gambling hubs. The average gamer probably thinks about Vegas, Atlantic City, or one of the many tribal casinos in the country. Nevertheless, Ohio still holds its own within the industry. In 2017, the state made a half a billion dollars from taxes due to gambling. The overall gross Ohio Gambling revenue for that year was $1.7 Billion. Most of Ohio gambling is driven by the state’s seven racino locations. Many officials would like to see a change to the Ohio online gambling laws so that the territory doesn’t lose out on another potentially lucrative avenue for revenue. The next sections of this page will discuss the important Ohio gambling laws, as well as the state’s gambling history.
History of Important Ohio Gambling Laws
The state’s first gambling laws came into effect in the 18th century when lotteries were banned. Private organizations were set up to enforce fines against people caught illegally gambling. For the next decades, Ohio gambling laws remained largely unchanged. In 1933, however, the state introduced a bill to legalize and regulate pari-mutuel betting on horse races. Later in the century the Ohio State Racing Commission was established.
Similar to other states, Ohio launched its own state lottery in the 1970s. The lotteries have taken place since and have generated tons of money for the state and has helped alleviate some fiscal pains. The lottery would remain the only gambling-type game available in the state for the next 30+ years.
In order to play casino games in the past, Ohioans would have to cross state lines to play in one of the nearby legal markets. This all changed in 2009 with a constitutional amendment. Article XV, Section 6 (c) officially backed the creation of four land-based casinos in Ohio’s most populous cities. After repeated attempts to approve casino gambling had failed, the 2009 amendment was approved by 52% of voters.
The new gambling law legalized casino gambling in OH and also established ground rules for the activity. The gambling age in Ohio was set to 21+years of age and the amendment set a tax rate on casino revenue at 33% for land-based locations and 33.5% for racino locations.
After gaming was approved, the state needed a way to regulate games of chance. The Ohio gambling commission, called the Ohio Casino Control Commission was created in 2011 with the passage of the Casino Control Law (Revised Code Section 3772). Some of the Commission’s duties include the licensing, regulation, investigation, and jurisdiction of all those involved with casino gaming. Each casino operator is now required to pay $50 million per casino and invest $250 million to develop a facility in order to get an Ohio gambling license.
All gaming agents who work for the Casino Control Commission are certified police officers and have complete authority to arrest people on any of Ohio’s casino properties as well as non-casino locations, as long as the arrest falls under the criminal section of the Ohio gambling laws.
Since the opening of the 11 Ohio gambling locations, the gambling laws have remained relatively unchanged until the overturning of PAPSA by the Supreme Court in 2018. This decision has ushered in the possibility of legalized sports gambling in Ohio. It is still left to be scene when the activity will be permitted in the Buckeye State.
Gambling Responsibly in Ohio
Unfortunately, gambling isn’t all just fun and games. Although many players have a healthy relationship with the activity, some gamers are at risk of developing or have already developed problem gambling behavior. Many states in the US claim it is the obligation of gambling companies to make resources available for players who may need it. If you or somebody you know would like help you can go to the Casino Control Commission’s responsible gambling page to find a short test that will help you catch problem behavior before it spirals out of control.
If a player decides that they need help, there are myriad places to turn to in Ohio. Gaming regulations require that all gambling establishments donate 2% of their revenue to help fund responsible gambling services. This has made Ohio one of the better states for treatment. Each of the cities that house a casino have treatment centers. There is also a gambling addiction Ohio specific helpline. In addition to the state-based services, players can access any of the national problem gambling service channels, such as the National Council on Problem Gambling, Gambler’s Anonymous and Gam-Anon.
Notable Gamblers from Ohio
Poker players are by far the most famous gamblers in the world. There have been a few slots or roulette players who have gained some notoriety over the years, but this fame is largely constrained to the local news story or to the handful of Twitch streams (of online casino gamblers) that have a few dedicated followers. Poker rose to prominence during the first decade of the 21st Century, a period now dubbed ‘The Poker Boom.’ During this period, the card game’s popularity exploded due to TV deals and unique player personalities. A few stars emerged, and some of the best players are from Ohio. Check out some of the more successful Ohioan players below.
David Peters
David Peters
Of all the notable poker players to come out of the Buckeye State, none come close David Peters in terms of success and popularity. David Peters was born in 1987 and hales from Toledo, Ohio. Peters is the number one poker player from the state in terms of overall money earned during his pro career. In addition, he ranks in the top five of the all-time money list with a staggering $33 million. His successes have earned him the title of one of the world’s best Texas Hold’em players. He has also gained a considerable following evident by the outcry of fans who were disheartened by the World Series of Poker’s decision to leave him off the Top 50 Players of All-Time list.
Bryon Kaverman
Bryon Kaverman
Although Kaverman has earned only half as much as David Peters, he has still made some waves throughout the world of competitive poker. Peters was born the same year as Peters (1987) in Fort Jennings, Ohio. Kaverman’s first World Series of Poker appearance took place in 2008 in Las Vegas where he won $7,000. 2016 was Bryon’s most successful period, in which he sat at the top of the Global Poker Index’s World Poker List. Bryon was ranked number one for fifteen straight weeks. One of the most notable aspects of Kaverman and Peters is their ages. Both players are considerably younger than many of their fellow top money earners.
Key State Facts: OH
Ohio draws its name from its eponymous river. Although the state is the 34th largest it is the 7th most populous state in the Union. Although the state’s auto industry hides in the shadow of its northern neighbor, Ohio is actually the second largest producers of automobiles in the US. Below you’ll find some key facts about the state that have to do with Ohio gambling.
| Population | 11,689,442 |
|---|---|
| Min. Income/month | $1,450.32 |
| Largest Land-based Casino | Hollywood Columbus Casino |
| Gambling Commissioner | Ohio Casino Control Board |
| Spoken Languages | English, Spanish |
| Famous Sports Teams | Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 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/ |
| Ohio Gamblers | Kevin Stammen |
Ohioans have many reasons for pride. The state has good food, great cities and fun amusement parks. Nothing, however, gets the state’s residents going more than its sports teams. The most popular teams are the Cleveland Indians, Browns and Cavs, but the Columbus-based Blue Jackets have also developed quire the following over the last few years.
Conclusion: a Few Gambling Options & More to Come
As you can see above, Ohio is not a gambling oasis, but it is far from being a desert. Residents and visitors have four traditional casinos to choose from as well as seven racino. Rumblings suggest that we can expect a few shifts in the Ohio gambling laws, especially with regards to sports betting and online casinos. Until that happens, Ohioans must visit one of the state’s land-based gambling establishments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gambling laws can be tricky to understand. Not only does each state have its own set of laws, some states even have different rules for each gambling activity found within its borders. To make things easy, we have collected a few of the most common questions asked by Ohio gamblers below. If you can’t find the info you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Does Ohio have casinos?
Yes, since 2012 Ohio has had legal casinos. Currently, there are four land-based casino locations located in the state’s most populous cities (Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati, Columbus). In addition, there are seven ‘racinos’ that currently operate in OH, however these only offer VLT gams.
Is sports gambling legal in Ohio?
Currently sports gambling is not legal in Ohio. There is a lot of talk at the state level about whether or not to legalize sports betting. Indications suggest that sports gambling will be legalized within the next year or two.
Can you gamble online in Ohio?
Currently the Ohio gambling laws have made it impossible to gamble online in Ohio. This, however, may change as study’s show how states without online gaming lose a lot of revenue due to play at illegal casino sites.
Can you play PokerStars in Ohio?
Online poker has been incredibly popular for over a decade, however the game falls into the gambling category. This means that you can not play PokerStars legally in Ohio. The standard laws which banning online gambling apply to poker as well.
Does Ohio offer statewide self-exclusion for gambling?
Yes, Ohio does offer a statewide self-exclusion program. This is a useful option for players to have if they’d like to change their habits. Unfortunately, not all states currently have state-wide exclusion services. For more info, go to the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s website.