Who’s Applied For An Ohio Sports Betting License So Far?

The sports betting application window that guarantees operators a spot at the table for launch has closed and the commission has started to review and approve applicants. Now it is not a matter of who has applied for an Ohio sports betting license, but who will be the lucky chosen for approval.

Operators and businesses can still apply for a license moving forward, but they are no longer guaranteed to be a part of the universal launch date. So, which Ohio sports betting apps are coming to the Buckeye State and where will you be able to place bets in person? There is a long list of businesses that have applied and the list is getting longer for the operators that have been approved.

When Will Ohio Sports Betting Launch?

The launch of sports betting in Ohio is right around the corner. On New Year’s Day at 12:01 a.m., residents in the Buckeye state will be able to place their sports wagers. The most popular sportsbooks will become available for mobile and retail sports betting. Read more on which sportsbooks and casinos will be available on New Year’s Day.

What Operators Have Been Approved For An Ohio Sports Betting License?

The Ohio sports betting picture is starting to take shape as the Ohio Casino Control Commission granted conditional approval to over 20 Type A and Type B licenses in total.

Those approved for a Type A, or an Ohio mobile sports betting license, include the top names in the industry as well as some new sportsbooks that are launching for the first time in Ohio. Below are the Type A licenses that have been granted and the operators’ market partners between the end of August to now.

Ohio Mobile Sportsbook 📱	License Type 🪪	Market Partner 🔐
Barstool Sportsbook	Type A	Hollywood Casino Columbus
bet365	Type A	Cleveland Guardians
Betfred	Type A	Cincinnati Bengals
BetMGM	Type A	MGM Northfield Park
Betr	Type A	Pro Football Hall of FAme Village
BetRivers	Type A	Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway
Betway	Type A	N/A
Caesars	Type A	Scioto Downs
DraftKings	Type A	Hollywood Casino Toledo
Fanatics Sportsbook	Type A	Columbus Blue Jackets
FanDuel	Type A	Belterra Park
Fubo	Type A	Cleveland Cavaliers
Gamewise	Type A	Miami Valley Gaming and Racing
Hard Rock Digital	Type A	Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati
Parx Interactive	Type A	Muirfield Village Golf Club
Prophet Exchange	Type A	N/A
Superbook	Type A	FC Cincinnati
Tipico	Type A	Crew SC Stadium Company

The Cincinnati Bengals and FC Cincinnati had their approval delayed because neither team had representatives present at the meeting held early in September.

For a Type B, or an Ohio retail sportsbook license, this list includes professional sports teams, casnios, racinos, golf clubs and even a high school. Below is the continuously growing retail sportsbook license approval list.

Ohio Business/Operator 🏢	Sportsbook Partner 💰	Location 📍
Cleveland Browns	Bally Bet	Cuyahoga County
Cincinnati Reds	BetMGM	Hamilton County
Crew SC Stadium Company	Tipico	Franklin County
Hollywood Casino Toledo	Barstool Sportsbook	Lucas County
Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley	Barstool Sportsbook	Mahoning County
JACK Cleveland Casino	betJACK	Cuyahoga County
JACK Thistledown Racino	betJACK	Cuyahoga County
Muirfield Village Golf Club	Parx Interactive	Franklin County
MGM Northfield Park	BetMGM	Summit County
Cedar Downs OTB	BetMGM	Erie County
Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati	Hard Rock Digital	Hamilton County
Pro Football Hall of Fame	BetRivers	Stark County
Belterra Park	FanDuel	Hamilton County
FC Cincinnati	SuperBook	Hamilton County
Cleveland Guardians	Fanatics Sportsbook	Cuyahoga County
Scioto Downs	Caesars	Franklin County
SPIRE Institute	Out the Gate	Geneva County
Cleveland Cavaliers	Caesars	Cuyahoga County

There were also 300 Type C licenses approved to add to the 200 bars and restaurants already approved in August.

Some standouts from this list include SPIRE Institute which was awarded both a Type A and Type B license. SPIRE is a high school centered around developing up-and-coming athletes, hosting collegiate tournaments, and runs a sports research development lab.

Some may be wondering what the plans are for SPIRE to own an Ohio sports betting license with betting on high school sports not being a legal form of gambling in any state. The plans are to open a retail sportsbook at SPIRE’s athletic complex and also partner with a new online sportsbook operator Out the Gate.

There will be mixed emotions about placing a sportsbook this close to high school students, but the OCCC granted the license determining that there was enough separation between the school and the athletic facility to award them the license.

Another first for Ohio will be the launch of Betr Sportsbook. The new micro-betting-styled sportsbook is owned by Jake Paul and is testing the waters here in Ohio. The new sportsbook will focus solely on live-play events and prop bets.

What is an Ohio Type A Sports Betting License?

Ohio Type A licenses are for online sportsbook providers. Per HB 29, Ohio’s sports betting legislation allows for up to 25 mobile sportsbooks at full maturity. Type A licenses are state entities that are able to bank a bet through a mobile platform.

As of this writing, 20 businesses have secured a partnership with an online provider. Two additional businesses have applied for a Type A license without listing a mobile platform provider.

Here are just a few examples of sports betting apps and their partners:

• DraftKings (Hollywood Casino Toledo)
• Caesars (Scioto Downs and Cleveland Cavaliers)
• BetMGM (MGM Northfield Park)
• FanDuel (Belterra Park)

What is an Ohio Type B Sports Betting License?

An Ohio Type B licenses are for future brick-and-mortar sportsbooks across Ohio. These can be applied to by professional sports teams, casinos, racinos, and ultimately any venue that is able to operate a retail sportsbook on-site.

There can be a maximum of 40 retail sportsbooks across the Buckeye State with county population dictating where they can be located. County populations of 100,000 to 399,999 can have one retail sportsbook. The next threshold from 400,000 to 799,999 allows for three. Any Ohio county with 800,000 or more people can have up to five brick-and-mortar sportsbooks.

A few examples of businesses granted Type B licenses are below:

• Cleveland Cavaliers- Caesars Ohio
• Hollywood Casino Columbus- Barstool Sportsbook Ohio
• Jack Thistledown Racino- betJACK Ohio
• Cleveland Browns- Bally Bet Ohio
• Columbus Crew- Tipico Ohio

Type C License

The OCCC has not put a limit on the number of Type C licenses that will be allocated across Ohio. The Type C licenses provide businesses the ability to have two sports betting kiosks on site. Applicants filing for this type of license will be required to have a current liquor license or provide lottery gaming.

This is exciting for Ohio residents because they could soon be able to place bets at bars, restaurants, casinos, racinos, bowling alleys, and convenience stores. With this form of licensure, sports betting is becoming more accessible throughout Ohio.

Overall, the OCCC has reviewed over 3,000 applications and approved many sports betting license applications over the past three months. The sports betting kiosks are a majority of that sports betting approval number. With more operators to be granted licenses, there are already a list of pre-approved sports betting kiosk locations in place.

Story contributed by Cody Kutzer