The Ohio Casino Control Commission recently opened up the application process for a sports betting license, and the first window is now closed. The Ohio Casino Control Commission urged operators to apply for a license before July 15. That was the only way they could guarantee a launch on opening day.
The Ohio sports betting market is set to launch on January 1, 2023, and Ohio could become one of the biggest markets in the United States. Both retail and mobile sports betting will be available, but the online sites should bring in the most action.
This group has also been keeping a running list online and the biggest operators in the United States are set to launch on January 1. The second application window remains open until August 15, 2022, but this will be for those businesses that want to offer a sports betting kiosk.
Professional sports teams are also going to be in the mix in Ohio, and the state has already approved several teams. Sports betting at professional stadiums is now getting off to a start in the United States, but it should be a big part of this industry by January 1, 2023.
Big Teams Set to Launch
The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are two of the biggest draws in the state of Ohio, and they will be in the middle of their seasons when sports betting launches. Both of these teams have been approved to offer sports betting after partnering with a sports betting operator.
Bally Bet is the official sports betting partner of the Browns and will offer both retail and online betting. The Cincinnati Bengals have chosen Betfred as an online partner, but there has not been a retail betting option set at this point.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are another popular team in the state, and that franchise has partnered with Fubo on the mobile side and Caesars on the retail side. Caesars already has experience with retail sports betting at a major professional stadium.
The PGA Tour was also included in the sports betting law that was passed, and Muirfield Village has chosen Parx as the mobile and retail betting partner. It will be interesting to see which professional sports teams and stadiums can get things in place to launch before January 1, 2023.
Casinos, Racinos Not Waiting Around
As expected, all the state’s casinos and racinos also applied for a sports betting license. Some of these locations were delayed in applying for a sports betting license, but they were approved before the deadline on July 15.
Some of the biggest operators in the industry decided to partner with casinos and racinos rather than professional sports teams. Part of this reason is that more action is expected at these locations as opposed to the stadiums.
Penn National Gaming expects to have a major presence in the state of Ohio as there will be four retail sportsbooks with the Barstool Sportsbook name. All these properties have the “Hollywood” Casino name and they are located throughout the state.
Missing from the list is FanDuel, but expect that to change in the coming weeks. Belterra Park and Miami Valley have not yet announced an online partnership, and FanDuel will likely take up one of these licenses.
