Gambling In Ohio Is Taking Longer To Launch Than Other US States

• Brian Jeacoma
• June 14, 2022

While over 30 states have already made sports betting legal, Ohio still seems to be taking its time. The process has been dragging on for quite a while and, of the surrounding states, only Michigan was slower in launching the legal wagering.If you are looking for online gambling sites and live in OH, this ohio online gambling update should give you some clarity.

Ohio Sports Betting Slow to Get Off the Ground

The sports betting launch in Ohio is set for January 1, 2023. This means that, at that time, it will be 374 days since Gov. Mike DeWine signed the sports wagering bill in December last year. There are multiple reasons for this delay. One is, of course, the classic bureaucracy sluggishness. The other is the fact that there are plenty of players involved in the process and they all count on the piece of $3.35 billion cake, which is the amount Ohio gamblers are predicted to bet every year.If you are searching for best online casino Ohio, take a look at the the ohio online casino no deposit bonus codes.

Other states went through the whole process much quicker. In Indiana, everything was done and dusted in only 116 days. West Virginia took 177 and Pennsylvania 185 days. Michigan is the only exception among the neighboring states with 399 days between the Governor signing the bill and the first legal online sports wagers.

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The Long Process

The sports wagering legalization bill was first introduced in Ohio in July 2018, not long after the Supreme Court’s decision to allow states to decide on their own whether betting should be legal. At that point, all the states surrounding Ohio, except Kentucky, moved to introduce legal betting. In Ohio, it took more than 3 years to decide which state agency should handle the process, who would be allowed to hold a license, and how the betting would be taxed. After taking so long just to pass the bill, it’s now up to state officials to get the sports wagering up and running as soon as possible.

However, Ohio doesn’t have the greatest record when it comes to legalization programs. It took more than two and a half years to open the first marijuana shop since then-Gov. Kasich signed the legalization bill. It’s one of the reasons why state legislators have set the date for sports betting launch so far away. Still, Jessica Franks, the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s spokeswoman, recently stated that the agency is working hard on meeting the deadline. She added, that before the launch, it’s necessary to follow the very detailed requirements of the sports wagering legislation.

Related: (Where Can I Play Slots From The State Of Ohio?)

Universal Start Date

Online sports betting will likely be the first to kick off. Betting apps could start receiving bets at a simple push of a button. Casinos would probably be next in line, although they would have to add sportsbook facilities to their properties. If each group could start on their own terms, things would move a lot faster. However, this would leave bars and restaurants, that will feature sports betting kiosks, behind. By doing this, those who got to the market first would have an unfair advantage. Nevertheless, the universal start date has certainly slowed down the launch timeline. Online betting platforms and casino sportsbooks have until June 15 to submit their applications. The deadline for kiosks in bars and restaurants is a month later.

When will online gambling be legal in Ohio?

On December 6, 2021, Governor Mike DeWine signed the bills to legalize online sports betting in the Buckeye State. While sports betting is not currently legal in the state of Ohio, it will be on January 1, 2023. After that, folks searching for ohio sports betting may be able to place a bet at hollywood casino ohio online.