Gambling Laws In Ohio
There are many gambling laws in Ohio and across the United States that regulate gambling. On the federal level, laws such as the Federal Wire Act and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act leave plenty of room Ohio to formulate their own gaming regulations. Ohio gaming law has many details and passages and this guide is intended for residents of the Buckeye State to explore legislation currently in the books. It is our hope that readers will leave here with an understanding of the gambling options available and the knowledge to determine which one are legal, and which are not. We know the legal language can sometimes be hazy, but our translation of their meaning and knowledge of how the laws are applied should be exactly what you need to get going.
The state of Ohio defines the act of gambling and that no one may carry out any of the acts described in the Ohio Revised Code under Chapter XXI, § 2915.02(A). In reading this, it appears to follow up the federal gambling regulations which clearly makes it known that unregulated gambling is not allowed at all within its borders. This information from the state statute also backs up the fact that a casual bettor will not be cracked down upon for a simple wager.
The State of Ohio has such detailed regulations because Ohio is in fact a relaxed state on gambling as it has its own state licensed gambling facilities. No one else, just as with federal law, may host gambling houses, operate gambling devices or engage in the means of taking a rake off of gambling. The state of Ohio takes it upon itself to provide such gambling facilities although residents are largely left alone when within the privacy of their own home and do not stand to make any profit off of their home games of poker for instance. If Ohio residents are careful not to facilitate gambling for a gain, they are perfectly safe from any investigation or prosecutions.
To quickly go over the legality of all of the major forms of gambling, Ohio gaming laws are pretty cut and dry. There is nothing which criminalizes sports betting so long as it is just a simple bet made among friends. Games of chance harbor no penalty as well, so long as the gambler is a mere participant. Games such as poker appear to be admissible so long as it is only playing for personal winnings and not a rake of the entire pot as a hosting entity would take. Although gambling outside of state licensed facilities can be deemed unlawful, there are no recorded instances of a bettor, gambler or player being fined or jailed for any social gambling activities either online or in a land based setting.
Land-Based Gambling In Ohio
Ohio does remain one of the more easy going states in the union when it comes to gambling although it has only been since 2009 that the state began issuing licenses to casinos to begin lawful operation in the region. These state licensed facilities offer a variety of games of both chance and skill with both high and low betting stake options in true Vegas-style form. Ohio has even approved poker rooms within their permitted casinos much to the joy of many locals of the Buckeye State. The two major cities to provide gambling in the state are Cleveland and Ohio who each present two land based casinos for residents and visitors alike to enjoy. Ohio also plays host to a number of racetracks which provide further betting options in a pari-mutuel format, predominantly featuring horse racing but greyhound racing is also available.
Online Gambling In Ohio
While there may be plenty of gambling laws in Ohio to outline the regulation of gambling throughout the state on land, there is virtually no mention of online regulation. This leaves Ohio residents to refer to the old federal standbys of the Federal Wire Act and PASPA. The great news for locals who reside in the birthplace of aviation is that this means they will be able to place wagers on any online gambling site located outside of the United States, without having to fly there. There are a number of foreign online gambling networks that have been in operation for many years specifically serving U.S. gamblers, including those who live in Ohio. Banking transactions are secure, customer service is attentive 24/7 and the web pages are optimized and designed for those within the United States. Many of these sites are even former American businesses who moved out of the country after legislation made it unlawful for them to continue operation on U.S. soil after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed and heightened in 2011. Ohio residents need not necessarily feel like they are visiting a foreign site when visiting such online gambling web pages which are held in high esteem.
Popular Gambling Options In Ohio:
Online Sportsbooks - Online Casinos - Online Poker
The online gambling site which is most popular for Ohio residents and other U.S. citizens is hands down, Bovada. This Ohio betting site was initially known as Bodog to many American users in the early 2000's and provided fantastic online poker, casino games and sports betting to its members before federal legislation pulled the plug. It was soon after that they picked up shop and moved to Canada in order to continue serving their members legally as the newly formed Bovada and have remained the trailblazers of the online gambling industry ever since.
This online gambling site offers all forms of gambling with a wide range of betting options through each one. Whether it be betting on your favorite sports teams and players or simply wishing to pull the lever on virtual slots, Bovada has their members covered. The payouts can be vast as well with Bovada having an amazing history of payouts to their clients in America with speedy delivery and secure online banking transactions. Residents of Ohio also take note of the streamlined site design and constantly updated features which the page continuously improves upon. Bovada is the sure bet for residents of the Buckeye State and signup only takes one click and three minutes.
| Best Overall Betting Sites | Sports? | Casino? | Poker? | Horses? | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| BetOnline | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| SportsBetting | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
The legal gambling age in the state of Ohio is 18, however it is 21 years of age for those wishing to visit Ohio's state licensed casinos. Those who wish to explore online gambling options at Ohio gambling sites such as Bovada need only be age 18 or older.
Best For All Gaming Types
