In Ohio, legal online gambling means sports betting, horse racing through licensed racebooks, and daily fantasy. Online casino and poker aren’t legal here. This guide covers what’s legal, who’s licensed by the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and how to get started.
Ohio runs one of the largest and most crowded sports betting markets in the country. When it launched on January 1, 2023, more than a dozen sportsbooks went live at once in one of the biggest single-day rollouts in US history, and the Buckeye State hasn’t slowed down since. Even a quiet summer month like June 2026 brought in $658.9 million in bets and $13.8 million in state tax, per the OCCC.
In this article 14 sections
- Ohio gambling in numbers
- Is online gambling legal in Ohio?
- What you can play in Ohio
- Ohio’s tax and rules
- The sportsbooks available in Ohio
- Betting on Ohio teams
- Ohio casinos and racinos
- How to start betting in Ohio
- Will Ohio legalize online casino?
- Sweepstakes casino offers in Ohio
- Ohio gambling ages and taxes
- Responsible gambling in Ohio
- Ohio gambling in 2027
- Ohio
Ohio gambling in numbers
| Online sports betting | Yes, since January 1, 2023 |
| Retail sports betting | Yes, plus self-service kiosks in bars and businesses |
| Legal age | 21+ for sports betting and casinos; 18+ for on-track horse betting |
| Regulator | Ohio Casino Control Commission (racing: Ohio State Racing Commission) |
| Sports betting tax | 20% of operator revenue |
| Online casinos | Not legal |
| Horse racing ADW | Yes |
| Helpline | 1-800-589-9966 |
Is online gambling legal in Ohio?
Yes, for sports betting and horse racing. Sports betting launched in Ohio on January 1, 2023, regulated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) under HB 29. You must be 21 or older and physically located in Ohio to bet, confirmed by geolocation. Ohio allows betting on college team outcomes, but player-specific prop bets on college athletes are banned to protect student-athletes. Real-money online casino (iGaming) is not legal in Ohio, and HB 298, the leading effort to legalize it, was paused in January 2026.
What you can play in Ohio
Sports betting
Mobile betting on every major sport from one of the deepest fields of operators in the US, led by DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365 and Fanatics. Operator list, handle figures and rules: Ohio sportsbooks.
Horse racing
Pari-mutuel wagering at eight tracks and through licensed ADW apps. Ohio’s racing rules set 18 as the minimum age at a race meeting; AmWager, our partner for Ohio racing, requires 21+. See our AmWager review and the full Ohio horse racing guide, including the Little Brown Jug.
Daily fantasy sports
Legal in Ohio and regulated by the OCCC, with DraftKings and FanDuel leading the field alongside pick’em apps such as PrizePicks and Underdog.
Sweepstakes casinos
Available. Ohio has no sweepstakes ban, and HB 298 (which would have regulated them alongside online casinos) stalled. They sit outside state licensing, so protections are weaker. Partner offers are below.
Prediction markets
In September 2026, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Kalshi “has not shown” its sports contracts are swaps under exclusive federal jurisdiction, so Ohio can enforce its gambling laws against them. The decision covers preliminary relief, and other circuits have ruled differently. Our prediction markets guide tracks the litigation.
Lottery
The Ohio Lottery sells draw games, scratch-offs and multistate jackpots, and its video lottery terminals run at the state’s seven racinos.
Ohio’s tax and rules
Ohio doubled its sports betting tax from 10% to 20% in July 2023, just six months after launch. Gov. Mike DeWine pushed to double it again to 40% in 2025, and a separate bill proposed an extra tax on total handle, but both were rejected and the rate held at 20%. The money is split between the state’s General Revenue Fund and a dedicated Sports Gaming Profits Education Fund supporting K-12 schools. Ohio has also leaned into player protection, with officials publicly questioning prop bets after athlete-harassment and integrity concerns, so the rules here can tighten faster than in most states.
Ohio is also unusual in offering retail sportsbooks at casinos, racinos and pro venues plus hundreds of self-service kiosks at bars and businesses. That kiosk network gives Ohio one of the widest physical betting footprints in the country, even though the apps take the overwhelming majority of the money. For bettors, the upside of all that operator competition is a deep choice of apps and consistently sharp, well-priced markets across the major leagues.
The sportsbooks available in Ohio
None of our sportsbook partners currently operate in Ohio. The licensed field includes DraftKings and FanDuel, which together took more than 60% of handle in June 2026, plus bet365 (the Cleveland Guardians’ betting partner, strong on live odds), Fanatics, BetMGM, Caesars, BetRivers, Hard Rock Bet and theScore Bet.
Betting on Ohio teams
Ohio’s sports culture drives heavy local action: the Browns and Bengals in the NFL, the Cavaliers, the Guardians and Reds, and the Blue Jackets, plus huge college followings for Ohio State and Cincinnati. You can bet on those teams to win, but remember Ohio bans player props on college athletes, so you won’t find markets on an individual Buckeye’s passing yards, only on game and team outcomes.
Ohio casinos and racinos
Ohio has four full casinos and seven racinos:
- Casinos: JACK Cleveland Casino, Hollywood Casino Columbus, Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati and Hollywood Casino Toledo.
- Racinos: Thistledown, MGM Northfield Park, Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Valley, Eldorado Scioto Downs, Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway, Miami Valley Gaming and Belterra Park, each pairing live racing with video lottery terminals.
How to start betting in Ohio
Signing up in Ohio is quick: be 21+ and inside Ohio, pick a licensed Ohio sportsbook, and create an account with accurate information for verification. Deposit, set your limits, place your first bet, and cash out whenever any promotion’s conditions are satisfied.
Will Ohio legalize online casino?
Not yet. HB 298 would have paired regulated online casino gaming with rules for sweepstakes-style platforms, but it was paused in January 2026 and will not advance in the current session. With the legislature already revisiting betting taxes and prop-bet rules, online casino isn’t a near-term certainty. We’ll update this page if Ohio authorizes real-money iGaming; meanwhile, our online casino hub covers the states where it is legal.
Online casino brands to watch
If Ohio legalizes, the first wave would likely come from brands already running regulated casinos in neighboring Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, such as BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel and BetRivers. Any operator that gets the go-ahead here would be licensed and audited by the state.
Sweepstakes casinos in Ohio
For Ohio residents who want casino-style games without waiting for full legalization, sweepstakes casinos are the available option. You play for free with Gold Coins or similar, and a second currency (Sweeps Coins) can be redeemed for prizes under each site’s rules. No purchase is necessary.
Sweepstakes casino offers in Ohio
Funrize AK · AL · AR · AZ · CO · DC · FL · GA · HI · IA · IL · KS · KY · MA · MD · MN · MO · MS · NC · ND · NE · NH · NM · OH · OK · OR · PA · SC · SD · TX · UT · VA · VT · WI
Welcome gift: 125,000 coins
GET! code applied automaticallyRead our Funrize reviewVisit Funrize →No purchase necessary. 21+. Not available in CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY; free-coin mode only in CA, IN, MD, ME, OK. Full terms at Funrize.
- FU
FunzCity AK · AL · AR · AZ · CO · DC · FL · GA · HI · IA · IL · KS · KY · MA · MD · MN · MO · MS · NC · ND · NE · NH · NM · OH · OK · OR · PA · SC · SD · TX · UT · VA · VT · WI
Welcome wheel: 125,000 Fun Coins
GET! code applied automaticallyRead our FunzCity reviewVisit FunzCity →No purchase necessary. 21+. Not available in CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY; Fun Coins only in CA, IN, MD, ME, OK. Full terms at FunzCity.
- NO
NoLimitCoins AK · AL · AR · AZ · CO · DC · FL · GA · HI · IA · IL · KS · KY · MA · MD · MN · MO · MS · NC · ND · NE · NH · NM · OH · OK · OR · PA · SC · SD · TX · UT · VA · VT · WI
100,000 Gold Coins on sign-up + 10,000 for email
GET! code applied automaticallyRead our NoLimitCoins reviewVisit NoLimitCoins →No purchase necessary. 21+. Not available in CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY; Gold Coins only in CA, IN, MD, ME, OK. Full terms at NoLimitCoins.
RealPrize AK · AL · AR · CO · DC · FL · GA · HI · IA · IL · KS · KY · MA · MN · MO · MS · NC · ND · NE · NH · NM · OH · OR · PA · SC · SD · TX · UT · VA · VT · WI
100,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins after verification
GET! code applied automaticallyRead our RealPrize reviewVisit RealPrize →No purchase necessary. 18+ (21+ where required). Not available in AZ, CA, CT, DE, ID, IN, LA, MD, ME, MI, MT, NJ, NV, NY, OK, TN, WA, WV. Full terms at RealPrize.
These are our sweepstakes partners that accept Ohio players:
- Funrize: welcome gift of 125,000 coins. No purchase necessary. 21+. Not available in CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY; free-coin mode only in CA, IN, MD, ME, OK. Full terms at Funrize. Read our Funrize review.
- FunzCity: welcome wheel of 125,000 Fun Coins. No purchase necessary. 21+. Not available in CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY; Fun Coins only in CA, IN, MD, ME, OK. Full terms at FunzCity. Read our FunzCity review.
- NoLimitCoins: 100,000 Gold Coins on sign-up plus 10,000 for email. No purchase necessary. 21+. Not available in CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY; Gold Coins only in CA, IN, MD, ME, OK. Full terms at NoLimitCoins. Read our NoLimitCoins review.
- RealPrize: 100,000 Gold Coins plus 2 Sweeps Coins after verification. No purchase necessary. 18+ (21+ where required). Not available in AZ, CA, CT, DE, ID, IN, LA, MD, ME, MI, MT, NJ, NV, NY, OK, TN, WA, WV. Full terms at RealPrize. Read our RealPrize review.
Other sweepstakes brands, including McLuck, Pulsz, Hello Millions and Stake.us, also operate nationally. BetRivers.net is a pure social casino with no prize redemption at all.
Ohio gambling ages and taxes
You need to be at least 21 to bet on sports or enter a casino in Ohio, and 18 to play the lottery or wager at a horse race meeting.
Report all gambling winnings. They count toward your federal and Ohio income tax, larger wins trigger a W-2G, and many cities add municipal income tax on gambling winnings. From the 2026 tax year, the federal deduction for losses is capped at 90% of losses.
Responsible gambling in Ohio
Betting in Ohio should stay entertainment, not a way to chase money or claw back losses. Every licensed Ohio operator hands you deposit, wager and time limits plus cool-off and self-exclusion tools, and the trick is to set them when you open the account rather than after a rough night. Confidential help is a free call to the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966, or 1-800-GAMBLER, around the clock.
Ohio gambling in 2027
The iGaming question returns
HB 298 was shelved in January 2026. Any new online casino bill in the 2027 session is expected to be narrower, and sweepstakes rules would likely ride along with it.
Kalshi enforcement
The Sixth Circuit’s September 2026 ruling lets Ohio enforce its gambling laws against Kalshi’s sports contracts. Watch for OCCC action and for the Supreme Court’s response to New Jersey’s petition on the circuit split.
Sports betting tax
The 20% rate held in the 2025 budget fight. The next budget cycle will test whether the governor’s office tries again for a higher rate.
Is online sports betting legal in Ohio?
Yes. Sports betting launched on January 1, 2023, regulated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. You must be 21+ and physically in Ohio to bet.
Is online casino legal in Ohio?
No. Real-money online casino games are not legal in Ohio. HB 298, which would have legalized them, was paused in January 2026.
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Ohio?
Ohio has not banned them, and they operate under a no-purchase-necessary sweepstakes model outside state licensing. Protections are weaker than at a licensed book.
Can I use Kalshi in Ohio?
Kalshi’s sports contracts are the subject of Ohio’s federal court fight. In September 2026 the Sixth Circuit ruled that Ohio can enforce its gambling laws against them at the preliminary stage.
Can I bet on horse racing online in Ohio?
Yes. Licensed ADW apps such as AmWager accept Ohio customers. On-track betting is 18+, and AmWager requires 21+.
Where can I get help for a gambling problem in Ohio?
Call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966, free and confidential, or use the limits and self-exclusion tools in every licensed Ohio app.
