Ohio Welcomes First Wagers on Regulated Sports Betting Market

The Sunday rollout was celebrated by much fanfare, a carousel of launch parties, and no fewer than 13 retail sportsbooks and 16 digital operators who embraced the opportunity to forge ahead in the Buckeye State, one of supposedly the biggest for the industry.

Cascades of Launches Across the Buckeye State

In the weeks leading up to the launch, Ohio has sought to address a number of final details, including the introduction of tighter responsible gambling rules and campaigns in a bid to safeguard consumers from potential harm.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission has addressed concerns about potentially lax laws regarding the issue and urged action. A dedicated responsible gambling program was launched ahead of the January 1 launch at the end of the year.

Ohioans already have a fair resource repository at their disposal should they decide they need assistance to control their gambling habits. Help is available at the National Council on Problem Gambling’s 1-800-GAMBLER helpline or at the dedicated Ohio Problem Gambling Hotline number at 1-800-589-9966.

As to the actual companies launching operations, there were quite a few big names, both local and newly minted ones. Among them are MVGBet online sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, BetRivers, SuperBook Sports, Betway, BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel, and many others.

The companies have launched both their land-based operations along with their mobile apps which have made placing a wager on the outcome of events a piece of cake. The launch of sports gambling in Buckeye State was not as easy to pass as the success may suggest.

It took lawmakers nearly two years of toing-and-froing about the issue to finally pass a binding law that was cleared by all levels of government and received the governor’s stamp of approval. Up to 25 online sportsbooks can run operations in the state, with 22 receiving licenses but not all up and running just yet.