Ohio Online Casinos
Ever since a handful of US states have regulated the online betting market, other states have started the debate to follow suit, seeing all the benefits the gambling tax revenues can provide for the states.
California for instance has pledged that all gambling revenue will fund the education system, while others are focusing on pension schemes and other social contributions.
Online gambling is still deemed illegal in Ohio, however, the laws are pretty lax with regards to penalties to players gambling online.
Live poker is completely legal, with many land-based casinos offering a variety of poker games in their dedicated poker rooms but players looking to take the game to the online world will need to think twice, as there’s little protection for players playing outside the regulated zones, which means that the operator will have no obligation to comply with regulatory standards.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Ohio?
Currently, betting online is still not available in Ohio, however, as touched on briefly above, there is no specific law in the jurisdiction which makes it a federal offence to gamble online. However, this doesn’t mean that players from Ohio should flood internet gambling sites to try their luck online.
What we mean about an online regulated betting market is that the betting operators will be allowed to apply for licenses to operate in a specific state, where they will be regulated by a governing body that protects players from any sort of malpractice.
When players gamble online in an unregulated market, there will be no regulatory body overlooking operators, which means that the player is not protected in any way, although the risk of malpractice is pretty low.
Minimum Legal age to Gamble in Ohio
Different gambling products have different age requirements to be able to participate. Bingo, for instance, requires players to be at least 16 years old while casinos require players to be 21 years of age to be able to enjoy their games.
Keno, which essentially works with the same mechanics as a lottery would, has a legal gambling age of 18 and should be adhered to at all times, as this is taken very seriously and is a criminal offence if violated.
Who Regulates Casinos in Ohio?
Casinos in Ohio are regulated and controlled by the Casino Control Commission, where its sole purpose is to complete functions of licensing, regulating, investigating, and penalizing casinos who are engaged in illegal activities, such as fraud and money laundering.
Having a regulating body is essential to protect the player from any malpractices that would leave players vulnerable and with a negative perception of gambling as a whole. If you'd like to gamble in Ohio, check out the sweeps coins casinos on our website.
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Fact-checked by Julia Attard
Senior Author & Online Casino Expert