Ohio Announces Start Date for Sports Betting
According to a decision announced by the Ohio Casino Control Commission during a virtual meeting on Wednesday, the official start date for sports betting within the state is January 1, 2023. Late last year, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 29 into effect, which legalized wagering upon the date decided by the state’s Casino Control Commission.
Online betting, casinos, and bar kiosks will all have the ability to start on the date announced, so long as they apply for and receive their licenses on time. Proceeds from sports betting within the state will undergo a 10% state tax, and the money collected will go towards K-12 public schools.
A Long Time Coming
This announcement is a result of the 2018 Supreme Court decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which made it illegal for states to authorize sports betting. Since this act was overturned, around 30 states have legalized betting, and Ohio is next to join them.
A few Ohio senators were expecting an earlier start date, as January 1 was the latest date provided when the bill was signed last year. Many hoped that betting would be legalized in time for the fall, sometime around the MLB World Series, but it seems that the state will miss the mark.
Although many Buckeyes were hoping for an earlier start, the Ohio Casino Control Commission seems to think that this long wait is absolutely necessary for smooth betting implementation. The state will be performing the largest synchronous expansion of sports gaming to ever be seen within the United States. According to the Commission’s Director of Communications, Jessica Franks, the OCCC will need to review around 3,000 applications before betting may commence.
Implementation Timeline
The Ohio Casino Control Commission released an implementation timeline with the start date announcement. The first application window for proprietors, first designated MMSPs, MSPs, and suppliers opens on June 15th. The second application window for Type C sports gaming hosts and second designated MMSPs is set for July 15th, and all equipment will be verified by December 2, just shy of a month before betting can begin.
According to the passed House bill, 65 licenses will be given throughout the state. This includes 40 retail licenses and 25 mobile licenses.
Will they be ready?
Currently, it’s difficult to determine just how many sportsbooks will be open for business by the time January 1 comes around. The start date falls on a Sunday, which means that there may be an overwhelming amount of bettors looking to enter their wagers for the remainder of the NFL season, as well as for the college football Rose Bowl and the Cotton Bowl taking place the very next day.
Those who are currently living in Ohio and are worried about missing out on the full NFL season may want to take their business to their neighbors. Since sports betting was federally legalized in 2018, four states bordering Ohio are open for wagers. Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania each legalized sports betting before Ohio’s House Bill 29 was even on the table.
