A spokesperson told LSR the launch date for Ohio sportsbooks will not be significantly earlier than the mandatory Jan. 1, 2023 deadline. The Casino Control Commission will confirm the start date at its June 1 meeting.

Jessica Franks, the director of communications for the CCC, explained why the earlier application windows do not mean much in the long run. “At today’s meeting, Executive Director [Matthew] Schuler addressed recent speculation about the Universal Start Date for sports gaming in Ohio. Much attention has been focused on the status of the Commission’s rules pertaining to sports gaming and the announcement of application windows, as if these were the last steps in the process.

“However, this does not fully consider the sheer volume of applicants or the unique and multi-faceted statutory requirements that must be met by both the operators and the Commission prior to the commencement of sports gaming.”

How many applications?

Franks also detailed just how big a launch sports betting in Ohio will be: “Ohio is undertaking the largest gaming expansion in its history and largest-ever simultaneous launch of sports gaming in the United States, with all eligible online applications, brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, and kiosks in bars and taverns eligible to start on the exact same date.

“This will necessitate the Commission to undertake due diligence investigations and ensure compliance requirements for approximately 3,000 applications in time for the Universal Start Date.”

Senators hoped for quicker sports betting launch

Two of the Senators who played a big role in legalizing sports betting previously told local media they expected a fall launch. Bettors based in Ohio will be using a lot of gas this fall to place legal bets.

Luckily for Ohioans, there are plenty of nearby options for legal NFL and college football betting. Aside from Kentucky on its southeastern border, there are four states with legal betting on Ohio’s borders.

by Matthew Waters