Weekly News – Ohio May Have Fewer Sportsbook Operators than Legal Limits Allow

Dave Schwab Sports Betting Expert

2 minute read

The state of Ohio continues to work through the regulatory process to launch legal sports betting. Lawmakers passed the necessary legislation at the end of 2021 and Governor Mike DeWine signed that bill into law.

The new state laws for legal sports betting allow for as many as 50 mobile sportsbook operators. There can also be as many as 40 retail sportsbooks in the state at land-based gaming venues. However, state regulators working through the process predict much lower numbers than that..

Matt Schuler is the executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission. He noted that 90% of the current legal US sports betting market is control by six sportsbook operators.

Topping that list is FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook.

Given the current situation in existing legal markets, Schuler is doubtful that dozens of operators will setup shop in Ohio.

Written into the new gaming laws is the startup deadline of Jan. 1, 2023. Moving through the process of setting up rules, regulations and licensing, there is still hope that Ohio can go live ahead of the 2022 football season in September.

Betting on in-state college sports is allowed as well as special events such as the Olympics. Ohio State would be a huge draw for college football along with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.

Ohio is home to four land-based casinos and seven additional racinos with horse tracks. There are 10 professional sports venues which would also be eligible for a retail sportsbook license. State law also allows for stand-alone sports betting kiosks at certain bars and restaurants with liquor licenses.

The sports betting industry in Ohio will be robust given the amount of in-state professional sports teams. The state is surrounded by neighboring markets with healthy sports betting industries such as Pennsylvania, Indiana and West Virginia.

However, it is doubtful that the Buckeye State will be overcrowded with multiple sportsbook operators numbering in the dozens. In states with 20 plus operators, the majority of the business is concentrated among five or six mobile sportsbook brands.

Schuler went on to add:

“I don’t know why Ohio would be different, so while there’s a lot of demand, it will be interesting to see if the market determines that will hold, given those dynamics happening in state after state with the same companies and largely the same market share.”

There are more than a few states under their set limit for allowable mobile sportsbook operators. Louisiana is one of the newest states with legal online sports betting. State law made provisions for as many as 41 mobile sportsbook platforms. Also referred to as “skins” , there currently seven mobile platforms up and running in the state.

New York is another state new to the market for legal mobile sports betting. When those laws were enacted, the limit for in-state online operators was set at nine.

Written by Dave Schwab, our US Sports Betting Industry Expert.

The featured image for this post was sourced on Unsplash by Jake Blucker.

Dave Schwab

Dave Schwab has been covering the sports betting industry for the past 12 years as the main focus of his specialty marketing company for online content. This endeavor followed a previous career in the field of sales and marketing in the wholesaling sector.Most of his weekly pieces focus on the rapidly expanding legal US sports betting industry. However, he still does extensive work covering betting angles that can provide a competitive edge to avid players. Dave believes that it is always a challenge to take past results and current form to try and correctly determine a future result. Sports brings out the unpredictability in what should be a fairly predictable outcome based on the stats, facts and recent trends in a particular matchup. More from Dave Schwab