Operators face race against time as first sports betting deadline in Ohio nears
Initial application window closure looms with high-profile quartet having yet to submit license applications
Four prominent US sportsbooks have yet to submit applications for licenses in Ohio, despite the first licensing window closing tomorrow, July 15.
Caesars Sportsbook, Bally’s, Hard Rock Digital, and Rush Street Interactive have not submitted applications for licenses, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s (OCCC) register of applications.
Ohio’s sports betting licensing process comprises of two month-long windows. The first, which shuts tomorrow, includes type A, B, and type C proprietors, first designate Mobile Management Service Providers (MMSP), Management Service Providers (MSP), and supplier applicants.
In total, 18 applications have been submitted, inclusive of six MMSP and four MSP, as well as four type A, three type B, and one type C application.
Crucially, the first designate status refers to being able to operate on a standalone basis in the state, without the need for a land-based partner.
Confirmed first designate MMSP applicants include DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, BetMGM, Penn National Gaming, and sportswear retailer Fanatics. JACK Entertainment’s betJACK brand has applied to operate retail sports betting as well.
NFL franchise the Cincinnati Bengals has also applied for a mobile proprietor license and has partnered with Betfred USA for its Ohio launch.
The second window, which is due to begin tomorrow, will welcome applications from mobile operators serving as the second skin of a land-based partner, as well as those lottery kiosk operators that wish to offer sports betting.
This window closes on August 15.
There are 25 online licenses available for pro sports teams, casinos, and racinos, with each allowed one skin per license, which could potentially lead to around 50 brands launching alongside retail options.
Sixty days prior to the January 1, 2023, the so-called ‘universal’ start date, prospective operators will be required to submit their responsible gaming plans, facility plans, equipment testing, and geolocation procedures as well as any house rules and required procedures documentation.
In addition, this will be the deadline for all standard sports and gaming employee applications, i.e., forms required for anyone working in the sector in the Buckeye State.
Just 30 days before the universal start date begins, prospective operators and suppliers will be required to make their equipment used in Ohio available to access by OCCC regulators.
Ohio is also home to almost 12 million people, making it the seventh most-populous state. It is the fourth-largest state to legalize sports betting after Pennsylvania, Illinois, and New York.