Ohio sports betting is legal and state-licensed: online and retail sportsbooks launched on January 1, 2023, under the Ohio Casino Control Commission. This guide covers how the OCCC licenses betting apps, the timeline from the Supreme Court's 2018 ruling to launch, the age question, how federal taxes work on a winning ticket, and daily fantasy.
Published terms (casino terms): SlotoCash advertises up to $7,777 + 300 spins over five deposits on its own site. Eligible games: Slots, keno and scratch cards (progressive jackpots excluded).
Who runs it: License not shown on its site; reported as a Deckmedia N.V. brand (Curaçao). Regulator notes: Named in a Michigan Gaming Control Board cease-and-desist release, October 8, 2026.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit $20 per bonus. Wagering 25x deposit + bonus. Max cashout: None stated. Withdrawal cap $5,000 / week. Terms source: casino terms. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
Published terms (casino terms): Miami Club advertises up to $800 over eight deposits on its own site. Its Terms of Use (v2.1) list the United States as prohibited; its affiliate program confirms US players are accepted, so confirm eligibility at sign-up. Eligible games: Slots, keno, scratch cards.
Who runs it: License not shown on its site; reported as a Deckmedia N.V. brand. Regulator notes: Named in a Michigan Gaming Control Board cease-and-desist release, August 14, 2025.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit Not stated. Wagering 20x deposit + bonus. Max cashout: None stated. Withdrawal cap $5,000 / week. Terms source: casino terms. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
Published terms (reported): Decode advertises a $111 free chip and crypto bonuses on its own site; deposit-bonus codes and terms vary. Eligible games: Mainly slots; check each code.
Who runs it: License not shown on its site; third parties report Curaçao. Regulator notes: Third parties report it refuses players in MD, NJ, NY and WA.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit $25 (reported). Wagering Varies by code (25x–35x reported). Max cashout: Varies by code. Withdrawal cap $2,500 / week (reported). Terms source: reported. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
Read before you play: These casinos are offshore operators. They are not licensed or regulated by any US state, and state consumer protections do not apply. Check the law in your state before you play. Terms marked “reported” come from third-party reviews because the casino’s own terms could not be checked; the terms shown at sign-up apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET.
Online sports betting
Legal, state-licensed
Launch
January 1, 2023
Regulator
Ohio Casino Control Commission
Online sportsbooks (FY2024)
20 Type-A entries; several exited
Daily fantasy
OCCC-regulated since 2018; age 18
Online casinos
Not legal
Ohio helpline
1-800-589-9966
Is sports betting legal in Ohio?
Yes. Ohio sports betting is legal both online and at retail locations, and it has been state-licensed since January 1, 2023. The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) licenses and regulates operators, and its 2024 annual report (opens in a new tab) is the best public record of who holds a license and how the market performs.
That makes sports betting the big exception in Ohio. Online casino games are still not legal in the state, so an app that offers both sports bets and slots to Ohioans would only be licensed for the sports side. Our Ohio online casino hub explains the full set of rules, sweepstakes casinos in Ohio covers the unlicensed coin-based sites, and the state-by-state guide shows where Ohio fits nationally.
How Ohio got legal sports betting: the timeline
Ohio couldn't legalize sports betting until a federal ban fell. The Supreme Court's decision in Murphy v. NCAA (opens in a new tab) on May 14, 2018, struck down PASPA, the federal law that stopped states from authorizing sports gambling, and left the choice to each state. Our Murphy v. NCAA explainer covers the ruling.
Ohio sports betting timeline
Date
Event
May 14, 2018
Supreme Court strikes down PASPA in Murphy v. NCAA
2018
OCCC begins regulating daily fantasy contests
January 20, 2021
First Circuit rules the Wire Act covers only sports-related bets
HB 298 (online casinos) sent to House Finance, per third-party reporting
The federal Wire Act still matters for sports. In New Hampshire Lottery Commission v. Rosen (opens in a new tab), decided January 20, 2021, the First Circuit held that the Act's prohibitions apply only to interstate wire communications about bets on sporting events. Our Wire Act guide explains why that keeps state-licensed betting inside state lines.
Legal Ohio sports betting apps: how licensing works
Ohio licenses online sportsbooks as Type-A proprietors. The OCCC's FY2024 revenue table shows 20 Type-A entries, though several of those operators have since exited the state. We don't list brand names here because the line-up changes; the OCCC's own published reports are the place to confirm who's currently licensed.
What a state license gives you that an offshore book doesn't:
A regulator to complain to. Disputes with an Ohio licensee can go to the OCCC.
Rules the state enforces. Licensed books operate under OCCC rules rather than terms they set alone.
Public reporting. The OCCC publishes annual figures on licensees and revenue, so you can see who's operating.
Our sources confirm Ohio's minimum age for daily fantasy (18) but don't confirm the minimum age for sportsbooks or casinos, so we won't state a figure. Licensed operators must follow the OCCC's age rules, so check the commission's guidance or the app's terms. Our gambling age by state page tracks the ages we've verified.
For offshore casinos, ages are set by the casino. Silver Oak's terms say 21, or the local legal age if higher; SlotoCash's terms say 18+. Throughout this site we mention 21+ (18+ where allowed) wherever offers appear.
Ohio sports betting taxes: W-2G and withholding
All gambling winnings are taxable federal income. For sports bets paid in 2026, a sportsbook files Form W-2G when winnings meet the $2,000 threshold and are at least 300 times the wager, according to the IRS W-2G instructions (opens in a new tab). Regular withholding of 24% applies where winnings minus the wager exceed $5,000 and the 300x test is met. Backup withholding of 24% can apply if you don't give a correct taxpayer ID.
Worked examples (federal rules for 2026, illustrative)
Bet
Payout
300x test
W-2G?
24% withholding?
$100
$2,500
25x: fails
No
No
$10
$3,500
350x: passes
Yes ($3,500 ≥ $2,000)
No ($3,490 net is under $5,000)
$20
$6,500
325x: passes
Yes
Yes: 24% of $6,480 = $1,555.20
No form doesn't mean no tax: the first example is still reportable income. From tax year 2026, the deduction for gambling losses is reported to be capped at 90% of losses and allowed only up to your winnings, so check current IRS guidance. Ohio's own income tax treatment of winnings isn't covered by our sources; ask a tax professional. Our guides to the W-2G form and the gambling loss deduction go further.
Daily fantasy sports in Ohio
Daily fantasy has been legal and regulated by the OCCC since 2018. The commission's annual report lists 18 active fantasy operators, and the minimum age is 18, which is a rare case where we can confirm an Ohio age figure. Fantasy contests are a separate license category from sportsbooks.
With a licensed market in place, Ohioans have little reason to use an offshore sportsbook. Those sites aren't licensed by Ohio, so there's no OCCC complaint route, no state protection of balances and no state oversight of how bets are settled. Federal law (the Wire Act and UIGEA) targets betting businesses rather than individual bettors, but that doesn't make an unlicensed book a safe place to hold money.
Prediction markets are a newer gray area. Several 2025 and 2026 federal bills would restrict sports and casino-style event contracts on federally regulated exchanges, and the SAFE Bet Act would set federal standards for state-regulated sports betting; the Congressional Research Service lists none of the prediction-market bills as enacted. See our prediction markets page for the current list.
How to bet on sports more safely in Ohio
Check that the sportsbook is licensed by the OCCC before you sign up or deposit.
Bet amounts you've budgeted as entertainment spending, not money for bills.
Keep a record of every bet, win and loss for tax time.
Take a break if you find yourself chasing losses or betting to make money back.
Every sportsbook builds a margin into its odds, so over many bets the book expects to keep a share of what's staked. As plain arithmetic: if a book's average margin were 5% and you staked $2,000 over a season, the expected cost would be $100. The real margin varies by market and book.
If you're betting on your phone, blocking software and in-app limits help. The OCCC recommends Gamban for blocking unregulated online casinos, social casinos and online poker; licensed sportsbooks offer their own limit and self-exclusion tools. More on phone play is on our mobile casinos in Ohio page.
Casino offers via our links (no sportsbooks)
None of our seven partners runs a sportsbook: neither their published terms nor third-party reviews describe one, so no partner fits this page's topic. If you came here to bet on sports, use an OCCC-licensed app. The casino offers below are shown for readers who also compare online casino options; they're offshore and not licensed by Ohio or any US state, and Ohio hasn't legalized online casinos, so check state law first. Royal Ace and Slot Madness are left off because third-party reviews report they refuse Ohio players. We earn a commission through these links and rank partners in a commercial order. New players only, 21+ (18+ where allowed); terms apply.
SlotoCash Casino: $6,000 Welcome Bonus + 60 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Its own site advertises $7,777 + 300 spins over five deposits at 25x deposit plus bonus, $20 minimum per bonus and no max cashout.
Miami Club Casino: $4,000 Bonus + 285 Bonus Games, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Its published package is up to $800 over eight deposits at 20x deposit plus bonus. Its Terms of Use (v2.1, September 28, 2026, section 1.6) list the United States as prohibited, while the site owner's affiliate program confirms US players are accepted, so confirm eligibility at sign-up. It runs WGS games, not RTG.
Decode Casino: $5,000 Welcome Bonus + 50 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Decode's site shows a $111 free chip with no visible terms; third-party reviews report deposit bonuses at 25x to 35x wagering with a $25 minimum. It's reported to refuse Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Washington players.
Casino bonuses are slot-focused and can't be used for sports bets; table games are often excluded or weighted lower, and the terms shown at sign-up apply. See real money casinos in Ohio or the SlotoCash review.
Ad21+ (18+ where allowed). Ranked by us in a commercial order; we earn commission from these links. Advertiser disclosure
None of these partners runs a sportsbook, and none is licensed by Ohio or any US state: they're offshore casinos. Check Ohio law first. 21+ (18+ where allowed); terms apply.
SlotoCash Casino#1 on our listBiggest bonus on our list
Published terms (casino terms): SlotoCash advertises up to $7,777 + 300 spins over five deposits on its own site. Eligible games: Slots, keno and scratch cards (progressive jackpots excluded).
Who runs it: License not shown on its site; reported as a Deckmedia N.V. brand (Curaçao). Regulator notes: Named in a Michigan Gaming Control Board cease-and-desist release, October 8, 2026.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit $20 per bonus. Wagering 25x deposit + bonus. Max cashout: None stated. Withdrawal cap $5,000 / week. Terms source: casino terms. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
Published terms (casino terms): Miami Club advertises up to $800 over eight deposits on its own site. Its Terms of Use (v2.1) list the United States as prohibited; its affiliate program confirms US players are accepted, so confirm eligibility at sign-up. Eligible games: Slots, keno, scratch cards.
Who runs it: License not shown on its site; reported as a Deckmedia N.V. brand. Regulator notes: Named in a Michigan Gaming Control Board cease-and-desist release, August 14, 2025.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit Not stated. Wagering 20x deposit + bonus. Max cashout: None stated. Withdrawal cap $5,000 / week. Terms source: casino terms. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
Published terms (reported): Decode advertises a $111 free chip and crypto bonuses on its own site; deposit-bonus codes and terms vary. Eligible games: Mainly slots; check each code.
Who runs it: License not shown on its site; third parties report Curaçao. Regulator notes: Third parties report it refuses players in MD, NJ, NY and WA.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit $25 (reported). Wagering Varies by code (25x–35x reported). Max cashout: Varies by code. Withdrawal cap $2,500 / week (reported). Terms source: reported. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
These casinos are offshore operators. They are not licensed or regulated by any US state, and state consumer protections do not apply. Check the law in your state before you play. Terms marked “reported” come from third-party reviews; the terms shown at sign-up apply.
21+ (18+ where allowed). Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: responsible gambling tools and free help. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).
Frequently asked questions
When did sports betting start in Ohio?
Ohio launched legal sports betting on January 1, 2023, with both online and retail sportsbooks licensed by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. The launch followed the Supreme Court's May 14, 2018 ruling in Murphy v. NCAA, which let states decide for themselves. Our sports betting laws page compares Ohio's start date with other states.
How many sports betting apps are legal in Ohio?
The OCCC's FY2024 revenue table lists 20 online (Type-A) sportsbook entries, but several operators have since exited, so the current number is lower. We don't publish a brand list because it changes; check the OCCC's latest published reports before signing up. Our is sports betting legal in my state answer explains how to verify a licensee.
What is the legal age for sports betting in Ohio?
Our sources don't confirm Ohio's minimum sportsbook age, so we don't state one; licensed apps must follow OCCC age rules. What we can confirm is that daily fantasy in Ohio has a minimum age of 18. Check the OCCC or the operator's terms before you register, and see our gambling age by state page.
Do I have to pay taxes on sports betting winnings in Ohio?
Yes. Sports betting winnings are taxable federal income. For 2026, a sportsbook issues a W-2G when winnings reach $2,000 and pay at least 300 times the bet, and withholds 24% when winnings minus the bet exceed $5,000 under that test. Losses are reported to be deductible only up to 90% from tax year 2026. Read our W-2G guide.
Can I play online casino games on an Ohio sportsbook app?
No. Ohio licenses online sports betting but not online casino games, so licensed apps can't offer slots or table games to Ohio players. HB 298 would change that, but it has been pending in the House Finance Committee since May 21, 2025, according to third-party reporting. Our Ohio gambling laws page tracks the bill.
Is daily fantasy legal in Ohio?
Yes. Daily fantasy sports have been legal and regulated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission since 2018. The OCCC's annual report lists 18 active fantasy operators, and the minimum age is 18. Fantasy contests use a separate license from sportsbooks. Our daily fantasy guide explains entry fees, prizes and how contests differ from bets.
Is it safe to use an offshore sportsbook from Ohio?
It carries clear risks. Offshore books aren't licensed by Ohio, so there's no OCCC complaint route, no state protection of your balance and no state oversight of settlements. With legal Ohio apps available since 2023, a licensed book is the safer choice. Our offshore casino legality guide explains the federal and state background.
Does the Wire Act make sports betting illegal?
Not for state-licensed betting within Ohio. The Wire Act targets businesses that use wire communications for interstate bets, and the First Circuit ruled on January 20, 2021 that it applies only to sports-related wagers. Ohio-licensed books operate within the state's system. Our Wire Act guide covers the history, including the 2011 and 2018 Justice Department opinions.
Do Ohio sportsbooks offer self-exclusion and deposit limits?
Yes, licensed Ohio sportsbooks offer their own limit and self-exclusion tools, and setting a deposit limit on day one is the simplest safeguard. Because these books operate under Ohio Casino Control Commission rules, those tools sit inside a regulated system, unlike offshore sites. Device-level blocking adds another layer: the commission recommends Gamban for blocking unregulated online casinos, social casinos and online poker. If betting stops being fun, the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-589-9966, and the national line is 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738). Our self-exclusion guide and cool-off periods page explain how each tool works.
Why does an Ohio sportsbook ask for my Social Security number?
It's tied to federal tax reporting: a sportsbook that pays a qualifying win needs your taxpayer ID to file Form W-2G. For 2026, a W-2G is due when a sports win reaches $2,000 and is at least 300 times the stake. If you don't give a correct taxpayer ID, the IRS rules allow 24% backup withholding, on top of the regular 24% withholding that applies when winnings minus the stake exceed $5,000 under the 300x test. Licensed books must also follow the commission's age rules. See what is a W-2G and our gambling taxes guide for the details.
Are sports prediction markets legal in Ohio?
Ohio's position on sports prediction markets isn't covered in our sources, and the federal picture is still being argued in Congress. The Congressional Research Service lists several 2025 and 2026 bills that would restrict sports and casino-style event contracts on federally regulated exchanges, alongside the SAFE Bet Act, which would set federal standards for state-regulated sports betting; it records none of the prediction-market bills as enacted. Ohio's licensed sportsbooks are the regulated way to bet on games in the state, with an OCCC complaint route behind them. Our prediction markets page and sports betting laws overview track the changes.
Can I complain to the OCCC about an Ohio sportsbook?
Yes, disputes with an Ohio-licensed sportsbook can go to the Ohio Casino Control Commission, which is one of the main advantages of betting with a licensee. Raise the problem with the sportsbook first and keep records: bet slips, account history, chat transcripts and dates. If that doesn't resolve it, take it to the commission with your evidence. That route doesn't exist for offshore sportsbooks or casinos, which aren't licensed by Ohio and settle disputes under their own terms. Our state regulators guide explains what commissions do, and how to file a casino complaint covers record keeping.
Can I bet on sports at SlotoCash, Miami Club or Decode from Ohio?
No, none of them runs a sportsbook: their published terms and third-party reviews describe online casinos only, and their bonuses can't be used for sports bets. They're also offshore and not licensed by Ohio or any US state, while Ohio licenses sportsbooks directly. For Miami Club, its Terms of Use (v2.1, September 28, 2026, section 1.6) list the United States as prohibited, while the site owner's affiliate program confirms US players are accepted, so confirm at sign-up. If you want to bet on games, use an OCCC-licensed app. Read the Miami Club review or compare casinos on SlotoCash vs Decode.
We use no tracking cookies. We store one item in your browser to remember this notice. Casino sites may set their own cookies after you follow an advert link. Cookie policy
