Online gambling in Ohio 2025
Online gambling in Ohio has had a major update in recent years as the state introduced sports betting.
While sweeps and social casinos are available, traditional online casinos and online poker are not yet regulated. We will highlight any updates in Ohio gambling laws.
On this page, we’ll introduce you to all the gambling options available in the Buckeye state, talk about the gambling age in Ohio and discover what’s in store for the state in the future.
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Online casinos — not yet legal
Does Ohio allow online gambling? Online gambling in Ohio doesn’t include online casinos for real money at this moment in time. However, with Ohio recently introducing sports betting legislation and horse racing, it might just be a matter of time for the state to also regulate slots and table casino games.
Until that happens, players in Ohio can opt to play casino games at sweepstakes casinos like Wow Vegas or maybe even at social casinos like BetRivers.net. These types of casinos offer the same online gaming experience you’d find in other states. The only difference is that you don’t play for real money.
At social casinos, you can play for free, but there’s no money to withdraw. At sweepstakes casinos, you can still play for free, but you have a chance to convert your virtual coins into redeemable prizes.
Online betting sites — legal since 2021
In December 2021, House Bill 29 was signed into law, which was the first step to online gambling in Ohio. It took until January 2023 for Ohio gambling laws to come to fruition. In just a few days, Ohio saw significant sports betting sites moving into the state – this was because the law wanted all the different operators to launch simultaneously. The licensing process is ongoing, and we may see other sportsbooks entering the Ohio arena. In the meantime, social sites like Fliff sportsbook offer some more variety.
There is no doubt that this launch is a test to study the viability of introducing online casinos. So far, it’s been quiet on that front, but we have a feeling online casino regulation is just around the corner.
Online sportsbooks | Licensed by | Launch year |
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Thrillz | Thrillz Inc. | 2024 |
Sportzino | Blazesoft | 2023 |
Crab Sports | Crab Sports Inc. | 2023 |
Betr | Betr Media | 2023 |
DraftKings | Hollywood Casino Toledo | 2023 |
Caesars | Scioto Downs, Inc. | 2023 |
BetMGM | MGM Northfield Park | 2023 |
BetRivers | Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway | 2023 |
Bet365 sportsbook | Cleveland Guardians Baseball Company | 2023 |
FanDuel | Belterra Park | 2023 |
WynnBet | JACK Thistledown Racino | 2023 |
PointsBet | Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley | 2023 |
Barstool | Hollywood Casino Columbus | 2023 |
Fliff | Fliff Inc. | 2018 |
What else is legal in the state?
Ohio gambling laws have quickly caught up with the times when it comes to sports. However, we’re still seeing some movement in the Buckeye state regarding casino play. As for the gambling age in Ohio, this tends to vary according to which type of activity you want to go for.
While the gambling age in Ohio for casino and sports betting is 21 years old, 16-year-olds can legally play bingo offline. Most other activities, including lottery and horse racing, have a legal age of 18 years.
- Poker: This popular table game has yet to be available online. However, land-based casinos can offer poker games with different stakes and buy-ins. Private poker at unregulated establishments is also considered illegal.
- Lottery: The gambling age in Ohio to play the lottery is 18 years old. So far, an online lottery is yet to be available in the state. Offline you can get your tickets from authorized retailers. You can play in eight different lotteries, including Powerball and MegaMillions. Progressive jackpot games and Keno are also available.
- Daily Fantasy Sports: DFS betting was introduced in 2018, but it took until 2020 to be available online to players in the Buckeye state. Players can now choose from websites such as DraftKings DFS and FanDuel.
- Bingo: All bingo games in the state are highly regulated and can only be conducted by charitable organizations and used as fundraising tools.
Type of gambling | Offline age | Online age | Legal online since |
---|---|---|---|
Casino | 21 | n/a | n/a |
Sports betting | 21 | 21 | 2021 |
Horse-racing | 18 | 18 | 2021 |
Social casinos | n/a | 18 | n/a |
Poker | 21 | n/a | n/a |
Lottery | 18 | n/a | n/a |
Bingo | 16 | n/a | n/a |
Keno | 18 | n/a | n/a |
How to choose the best Ohio online gambling sites
Choosing the online gambling site in Ohio that is right for you should be straightforward. This section will show you precisely what we look for when deciding whether a particular site should make it into our ranks. This way, you’ll be armed with the knowledge you need to choose the gambling site that best fits your needs.
Is online gambling in Ohio safe?
Yes, gambling in Ohio is safe if you do this at licensed operators. Remember that the state regulates only sports betting and horse racing. Online casino games like slots, poker, and table games are not. So if you find yourself gambling on any casino games in Ohio, there’s a chance you’re doing this at an offshore casino. Offshore casinos aren’t bad as such, but they are not under any scrutiny of US jurisdiction, which keeps you safe.
Here at Time2play, we’ll only point you towards those operators licensed in the US, in this case, legal Ohio gambling sites. So far, we can only provide links to sports betting in Ohio and a selection of sweepstakes and social casinos.
Ohio gambling laws through time

1933
Pari-mutuel horse racing is finally legalized. The Ohio Racing Commission is launched to oversee the activities, a job it’s still doing to this day.

1973
State Senator Mottl moves an amendment to introduce a state lottery onto the ballot. It passes with an overwhelming majority of 64%. A year later, the Buckeye 300 (Ohio’s state lottery) sold its first ticket.

2009
Ohio votes on a ballot measure to introduce land-based casinos. In 2012, 11 locations across the Buckeye state started offering slots and other casino games.

2018
Ohio gambling laws get another amendment. This time it’s Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), which is added into law thanks to House Bill 132. It will take until 2020 for DFS betting to become available to players.

2021
House Bill 29 comes into effect in December 2021, finally legalizing sports betting in Ohio.
Latest updates for online gambling in Ohio
Ohio gambling laws have come a long way regarding online sports betting and horse racing in just a few years. The next step will be the introduction of online casinos and poker. Here are some of the latest news that can give us an indication of when this can happen.
- Just one month after the launch of sports betting in Ohio, the projections are already going way above what was predicted, so sports betting in Ohio is a complete success. According to The Athletic, the trend is so positive it might also help build new stadiums in the state.
- Even though progress on the legalization of online casinos has been slow, there’s still hope online casino regulation might be just around the corner. This is because the recent launch in sports betting is being used as an indicative test, and just one month in sports betting revenue is considerably higher than expected.
FAQs
Is online gambling legal in Ohio?
Yes, some forms of online gambling are legal in Ohio. Online casinos and poker are not available to play for real money. However, you can bet on sports and horses or else try out the many social and sweepstakes casinos on offer. Check out our list of the best gambling sites in Ohio.
Can you gamble online in Ohio?
Yes, you can gamble online for real money in Ohio. If you’re wondering how to gamble online in Ohio, you can only do it on sports or horse racing.
What is the legal gambling age in Ohio?
The legal gambling age in Ohio differs according to the type of gambling you want to participate in. For casinos, the age is 21, but for horse racing, it’s 18. Check out our table with all the different variations.
What are the best online gambling sites in Ohio?
We made a list of what we think are the best gambling sites in Ohio. The selection includes both sports betting sites and sweepstakes casinos.