Ohio Becomes Newest State To Offer Legal Sports Betting

• Ohio will now offer a legalized and regulated sports betting industry after Governor Mike DeWine signed HB 29 into law earlier today.
• The bill calls for at least 25 mobile sportsbook licenses and 40 brick-and-mortar sportsbooks licenses to be issued as soon as April 1, 2022.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio has become the 31st state to legalize and regulate sports betting since the fall of PASPA after Governor Mike DeWine signed HB 29 into law Wednesday.

HB 29 passed through both chambers of the Ohio Congress with overwhelming support earlier in December.

HB 29 At A Glance

The newly-signed bill creates the first fully-regulated and legalized sports betting industry in Ohio’s history. The bill allows for at least 25 mobile sportsbook licenses, each of which can apply for a second skin, but are not guaranteed to be granted one.

There will also be 40 land-based sportsbook licenses issued to qualifying venues such as professional sports stadiums and casinos.

Each mobile operator will pay a $3 million licensing fee for their first mobile sportsbook license and a $10 million fee for their second. Operators can offer both land-based and mobile Ohio sportsbooks, but they will be required to receive separate licenses for each.

Bettors will need to be 21 years of age or older to legally wager, but there will be no restrictions on which types of events may be wagered on for bettors of legal age.

The newly-created legal sports betting industry will receive oversight and regulation from the Ohio Casino Control Commission, who will begin accepting applications for sportsbook licenses on January 1, 2022. The commission may begin issuing these licenses as early as April 1 of the same year.

News tags: HB 29 | Mike DeWine | Ohio | Ohio Casino Control Commission | Ohio Congress | PASPA