Ohio Online Gambling
Ohio provides a wide range of online gambling opportunities thanks to multiple legislative expansions.
Regulated Ohio online gambling options include sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and lottery sales. Sweepstakes casinos and online horse racing betting are also available but unregulated.
Continue below for a complete breakdown of the Ohio online gambling landscape, legal information, recent legislative updates, and problem gambling resources.
Legal Ohio Gambling Sites
21+ and present in OH. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Ohio Online Gambling Overview
| Type of Gambling (minimum age to play) | Legal Status | Notes |
| Online Casinos (n/a) | Illegal | Explicitly prohibited by Ohio law |
| Sweepstakes Casinos (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Operates under sweepstakes laws; could face future ban |
| Online Poker (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under same laws that prohibit online casinos in Ohio |
| Online Sports Betting (21+) | Legal/Regulated | Legal and regulated under OH Rev. Code Ch. 3775 |
| Daily Fantasy Sports (18+) | Legal/Regulated | Legal and regulated under OH Rev. Code Ch. 3774 |
| Fantasy Pick’em Contests (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under OH Admin. Code 3772-74-11(B)(4) |
| Online Lottery Sales (18+) | Legal/Regulated | Third-party couriers permitted and regulated |
| Online Horse Racing (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Advance deposit wagering permitted but not regulated |
Ohio Online Casinos
Online casinos are illegal in Ohio.
State law prohibits all forms of gambling that are not explicitly authorized, meaning online casino games like slots and blackjack are off-limits.
In recent years, Ohio has focused on implementing and refining its sports betting market since its launch. However, there are signs that Ohio could legalize online gambling.
First, the “Study Commission on the Future of Gaming” commissioned and published in 2024 recommended legalizing online casinos in Ohio.
Second, lawmakers introduced two bills in 2025 that would allow racetracks and casinos to apply for licenses to offer online gambling.
- HB 298: Would authorize online gambling; impose a 28% tax on operators; explicitly prohibit sweepstakes casinos; prohibit operators from offering promotions for the purpose of playing online; limit promotions to credits that are only redeemable in person at land-based casinos
- SB 197: Would authorize online gambling, internet lottery sales, and pari-mutuel wagering; impose a 36% tax on operators
The proposals aim to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual tax revenue but face opposition over addiction concerns and market saturation.
Sweepstakes Casinos in Ohio
Sweepstakes casinos are legal but unregulated in Ohio.
These platforms operate under sweepstakes laws by offering free entry methods, removing the “consideration” element required for gambling under Ohio statutes.
Players receive virtual currencies like Gold Coins for fun play and Sweeps Coins for prize redemptions, allowing access to casino-style games such as slots, blackjack, and roulette without direct wagering.
Reputable sweepstakes casinos implement standard consumer protection measures such as verifying ages and locations to ensure participants are 18+ and within state lines.
Ohio’s most prominent sweepstakes casinos include WOW Vegas, High 5 Casino, and Stake.us, which provide thousands of games and promotional bonuses.
Sweepstakes casinos are unregulated by state gaming authorities, so they rely on internal policies to maintain fairness and security, but they must adhere to general business laws enforced by the Ohio Attorney General’s office.
Although sweepstakes casinos comply with all relevant laws, they face increasing scrutiny amid Ohio online gambling debates. For instance, House Bill 298 explicitly proposes banning “online sweepstakes games” to protect a potential regulated market.
Similar efforts in other states have led to restrictions, and Ohio lawmakers cite concerns over their resemblance to real-money gambling. No regulatory actions have been taken to date, but future legislation could eliminate this gray-area option.
Ohio Online Poker
Online poker sites are illegal in Ohio.
Ohio law clearly categorizes online poker as illegal under existing statutes.
There have been no recent legislative initiatives aimed at legalizing online poker specifically. However, the House and Senate bills introduced in 2025 would permit licensed operators to offer online poker.
Ohio Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is legal and regulated in Ohio.
Ohio’s first legal sports betting apps launched on January 1st, 2023, following the enactment of House Bill 29.
All major sportsbook brands serve the Ohio online sports betting market. Popular sports betting apps like FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, and Bet365 offer features like in-play betting, same game parlays, and competitive bonuses.
Ohio’s regulatory framework emphasizes consumer protections, mandating geolocation verification, identity checks, responsible gambling tools, and age verification (21+).
Ohio Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are legal and regulated in Ohio.
The Ohio legislature legalized daily fantasy sports and implemented a regulatory framework via HB 132 in 2017.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) is responsible for licensing operators, ensuring fair play, enforcing consumer protection requirements, and monitoring licensees for compliance with all Ohio DFS regulations.
Under state law, Ohio daily fantasy sports sites must:
- Ensure all customers are 18 or older
- Clearly disclose the maximum number of entries a player can submit per contest
- Keep customers’ funds segregated from operating funds and protected from creditors (except the players themselves) to ensure customers can access their money in case of operator insolvency
- Pay cash prizes to customer accounts within five business days of a contest’s end
- Provide responsible gambling tools (e.g., voluntary self-exclusion, deposit limits, etc.) and advertise responsibly
Ohio Fantasy Pick’em Contests
Ohio law explicitly prohibits fantasy pick’em contests.
The Ohio Administrative Code prohibits operators from offering pick’em contests (where players pick more/less on athlete stats).
The OCCC adopted Rule 3772-74-11(B)(4) in 2023 to prohibit “proposition selection or fantasy contests that have the effect of mimicking proposition selection.”
Major operators like PrizePicks and ParlayPlay ceased offering pick’em-style contests in Ohio as a result, and attempts to offer peer-to-peer variants have been blocked.
Ohio Online Lottery Sales
Online lottery ticket sales are available in Ohio via third-party courier services.
The Ohio Lottery Commission does not sell tickets online directly. However, third-party lottery couriers like Jackpocket and TheLotter are legal and operate in the state by purchasing physical tickets from authorized retailers on behalf of users.
The Ohio Lottery has stated that such services are not illegal under state law, though they are not affiliated with or endorsed by the commission.
Additionally, the Ohio Lottery Commission states that if a courier applies to become a licensed retailer, or if a licensed retailer partners with a courier, they must adhere to certain “courier responsibilities” or risk licensure revocation.
Some of those responsibilities include:
- Implementing Know Your Customer (KYC) practices to verify the age and location of every courier customer
- Scan the front and back of every ticket purchased on behalf of customers
- Safeguarding all physical tickets and customer information
- Maintaining transparent processes for redeeming winning tickets
- Not keeping any portion or percentage of winnings as a fee for providing courier services to customers
Third-party lottery couriers operate in a legal gray area in many states but face no specific prohibitions in Ohio.
Legislative efforts in 2025, including Senate Bill 197 and budget provisions, proposed authorizing the Ohio Lottery to offer online sales, potentially with a 3.5% commission to retailers and revenue for education.
Legislation permitting the Ohio Lottery to sell lottery tickets online directly to customers could impact couriers, but opposition from brick-and-mortar retailers over lost sales has delayed progress.
Ohio Online Horse Racing Betting
Online horse racing betting is legal but unregulated in Ohio.
Advance deposit wagering platforms (ADWs) such as AmWager, FanDuel Racing, and TwinSpires have operated for years in Ohio despite explicit legislative authorization due to federal protections under the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978.
Although unregulated at the state level in Ohio, ADWs licensed in other states typically adhere to extensive internal consumer protection standards.
Legislative proposals to formally regulate ADWs periodically surface in Ohio but have not yet garnered sufficient support.
Ohio’s horse racing community generally supports ADW availability, citing benefits such as increased race engagement and revenue generation.
- Read more: Ohio Online Horse Racing Betting
Ohio Gambling Regulators
Multiple state agencies regulate Ohio online gambling activities, each handling specific verticals to ensure regulatory compliance, integrity, and revenue collection.
- Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC): Regulates casino gambling, sports betting, fantasy contests, and skill-based amusement machines; enforces licensing, investigations, and compliance.
- Ohio Lottery Commission (OLC): Manages state lottery games, including draws and instants; oversees retailers and promotions under Chapter 3770.
- Ohio State Racing Commission: Supervises horse racing, parimutuel wagering, and related facilities under Chapter 3769.
Responsible Gambling Resources in Ohio
Ohio provides extensive support for responsible gambling through state initiatives and partnerships, including self-exclusion programs and helplines. A statewide self-exclusion list covers casinos, racinos, and sports gaming, but not lottery or unregulated options.
Ohio Self-Exclusion Resources
- Time Out Ohio: Voluntary bans from casinos, racinos, and sports gaming for 1 year, 5 years, or lifetime; includes complimentary Gamban software for blocking online sites.
- Operator-Specific Tools: Sportsbooks, DFS platforms, and ADWs offer deposit limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion via account settings.
Ohio Responsible Gambling Organizations
- Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-589-9966 or live chat for support and referrals.
- National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER (call/text) or chat at 1800gamblerchat.org.
- Problem Gambling Network of Ohio (PGNO): Offers training, events, and resources; hosts the 2025 Ohio Problem Gambling Conference.
- Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon: Provide peer support meetings across the state.