Update on Sports Betting in Ohio

With a population of 11.7 million sports fans, many of which have been known to place a bet or two, Ohio stands as one of the top prizes within the sports betting community. Officially, the July 15th application deadline for sports betting licenses has passed and the ball is now in the court of the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC).

In the coming months, the Commission will be charged with reviewing applications and ultimately awarding licenses to proposed operators. At this point, applications have been received by the likes of 6 top U.S. sports betting operators, including BetMGM, Barstool (Penn Sports Interactive), DraftKings, PointsBet, Fanduel, and BetFanatics.

The last name on this list, BetFanatics, is quite interesting. It wasn’t until recently that the company made a play towards becoming a force in the U.S. sports betting community. There currently is no evidence that the company has yet built a viable sports betting app, but one has to assume something significant is in the work.

At this point, the Commission’s goal is to have licensing approved and operators ready to go by the beginning of the new year. That would be in time for the NFL playoffs, something Ohio sports bettors will be interested in considering their beloved Cincinnati Bengals just missed out on winning last year’s Super Bowl after a disappointing loss to the NFC’s Los Angeles Rams.

Cincinnati Bengals Pursuing Two Sports Betting Licenses

Alongside the aforementioned sports betting operators that have submitted a license application, there are a number of businesses that have also filed for Type A sports betting licenses. That group includes The JACK Cleveland Casino, the JACK Thistledown Racino, and the HOF Village Newco. Note: HOF Newco is currently under contract to refurbish the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Also included in this group is the Cincinnati Bengals organization, which has submitted two applications. The club’s intention is to place retail sportsbooks in or around Paul Brown Stadium. The team is currently working to secure a partnership with a top sports betting operator, perhaps Barstool.

Other sports clubs that might be looking to get into the sports betting business would be the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), the Cincinnati Reds (MLB), and the Cleveland Browns (NFL). While none of these teams has yet filed an application, they have expressed interest. The Cavaliers have already inked a deal with the Cavaliers to build a retail sportsbook inside of the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. It’s also noteworthy that the Cleveland Browns have already aligned with the Ballys brand.

The OCCC’s work is far from done. According to Ohio’s sports betting legislation, racetracks, bars, and other business interests will be permitted to engage in the state’s sports betting community. The July 15th deadline was set with the goal of getting the apps received by that time approved before the end of the year. The commission will continue receiving and approving apps as they come in until all of the authorized slots have been filled.

Ohio sports bettors are wanting that to happen sooner rather than later.