Ohio Sports Betting Launch Set For January 1 2023

• Regulators in Ohio are aiming for a January 1, 2023 launch for the regulated sports betting market.
• The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) is already accepting sportsbook applications from potential operators.
• The official launch date will be decided during the June 1 commission meeting.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio regulated sports betting market looks to be launching later than local fans anticipated.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) announced the aim for a universal launch around January 1, 2023. The official date will be determined when the commission meets on June 1st, 2022 to decide.

2023 Ohio Betting Start Date

Ohio began accepting sports betting applications not long after regulations passed. The OCCC presented mock applications for public discussion earlier in May.

Lawmakers surely believed sports betting would launch in time for the 2022 NFL season, as Senator Niraj Antani expressed this very same sentiment earlier in the year.

“I still believe sports betting will be able to start in the late fall, around the World Series,” said Antani to the Dayton Daily News.

The reason for the early January launch stems from a need to use the added time to ensure the launch runs smoothly. The commission wants to properly go over all applications, using the extra time to flesh out the market.

“At today’s meeting, the Executive Director [Matthew] Schuler addressed recent speculation about a Universal start date for sports gaming in Ohio,” said Jessica Franks, the OCC Director of Communications. “Much attention has been focused on the status of the Commission’s rules relating to sports gaming and the announcement of the application window, as if these were the final stages of the process. However, it does not fully consider the vast volume of applicants or the unique and multifaceted statutory requirements that must be met by both operators and the Commission before sports gaming can begin.”

Ohio Anticipating The Launch

The Ohio sports betting market isn’t waiting around, however, as sportsbooks and local teams have already begun curating partnerships.

Bally’s Interactive has partnered with the Cleveland Browns in anticipation to the potential launch. Additionally, the Cleveland Cavaliers have partnered with Fubo Gaming. Both these deals are to aid the sportsbooks in gaining market share in Ohio.

While the Ohio’s betting market will miss out on the start of the NFL season, whenever the market does launch, legal sports betting is poised to be a huge success out the gate.

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