Is Sports Betting Legal in Ohio?

With the legalization of sports betting spreading across the United States, many people are asking if it is legal to place bets in Ohio. The answer is yes and no, depending on the type of betting you want to do.

Federal law prevents individuals from accepting or placing wagers on sporting events from locations within the US, so all forms of online sports betting remain illegal throughout the US, including Ohio. However, traditional land-based sportsbooks are allowed in certain states that have legalized sports gambling such as Nevada and New Jersey. Currently there are no licensed or regulated land-based sportsbooks available in Ohio.

In addition to this, lawmakers have proposed legislation which would allow residents of Ohio to participate in daily fantasy sports (DFS). This type of gambling involves players selecting real-life athletes and competing with one another based on their performance in actual games or tournaments. Although DFS sites remain unregulated at the state level, they can operate legally under an agreement from state gaming authorities and do not violate federal laws. As of 2020 DFS remains legal in Ohio.

So local Ohioans can still participate in some forms of gambling such as DFS; however when it comes to placing bets on sports events taking place within the US there is still a ban enforced by federal law and any form of online sports betting remains prohibited throughout the nation. Fortunately, various states have been given authorization from Congress allowing them to operate locally regulated sportsbooks within their respective borders – it remains to be seen whether similar legislation will pass for other states like Ohio anytime soon but this could provide some insight into how things may soon change nationwide when it comes to legalized sports betting within the US.