Ohio Sports Betting Application Deadline Capped Off By Fireworks (Really!)

Posted on: July 16, 2022, 09:08h. 

Last updated on: July 16, 2022, 04:44h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

As expected, the Friday deadline to submit applications for Ohio sports betting licenses brought forth a deluge of paperwork from parties seeking to host or run an online or retail sportsbook in the Buckeye State.

Phantom Fireworks
The Phantom Fireworks location in Youngstown, Ohio. The company was one of several that has applied to host a sportsbook in the Buckeye State. (Image: Phantom Fireworks)

The Ohio Casino Control Commission updated the list of applicants early Saturday morning, and with that, the state regulatory body also revealed many of the partners seeking to work together in what will be the country’s fourth-largest legal sports betting market.

The OCCC set the Friday deadline for companies seeking online and retail licenses that wanted to start taking wagers on the Jan. 1 universal start date in Ohio. The commission will still accept applications moving forward, but it won’t guarantee the online app or brick-and-mortar book will be approved in time for a New Year’s Day launch.

Ohio is also allowing bars in the state to install sports betting kiosks for their patrons. Four companies have applied to offer kiosks to bars, whose window for license applications opened on Friday.

Online Operators Find Their Ohio Partners

Ohio’s sports betting law allows up to 25 online operators and 40 retail sportsbooks, and those entities must partner with a proprietor. Pro teams and casinos are eligible to apply to serve as a proprietor for up to two online operators and one retailer.

Given the number of licenses available, we’re seeing some new names pop up among the 18 companies that submitted online license applications by Friday.

That includes Underdog Sports, which has been operating in fantasy sports. The Brooklyn-based company is applying to be the online sports betting partner for the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds are also looking to partner with BetMGM for a retail sportsbook.

Up in Canton, HOF Village Newco, which operates a sports-and-entertainment district around the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is partnering with Latin American-based Instabet Inc. for an online application. BetRivers will partner with the development on the retail sportsbook.

According to the OCCC list, the following applicants are seeking to be partners for online sports betting in Ohio: JACK Cleveland Casino and PlayUp; HOF Village Newco-Instabet; Cincinnati Bengals-Betfred; MGM Northfield Park-BetMGM; Scioto Downs-Caesars Sportsbook; Hard Rock Cincinnati-Hard Rock Sportsbook; Cleveland Browns-Bally Bet; Columbus Blue Jackets-Fanatics; Columbus Crew-Tipico; Muirfield Village Golf Club-Parx Interactive; Cincinnati Reds-Underdog Sports; Cleveland Cavaliers-Fubo; Hollywood Casino Columbus-Barstool Sportsbook; Cleveland Guardians-bet365; Hollywood Casino Toledo-DraftKings; Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley-PointBet; FC Cincinnati-SuperBook; SPIRE Institute-Out the Gate.

Three other entities have applied to host online sportsbooks – Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway, Belterra Park, and Miami Valley Gaming.

Belterra Park is a Boyd Gaming property and will likely partner with FanDuel, which has applied for an online license in Ohio. Boyd and FanDuel are sports betting partners in several states. Miami Valley Gaming is a joint venture between Delaware North and Churchill Downs. Delaware North’s Gamewise division has also applied for a mobile license in Ohio.

A Sportsbook With a Bang?

Retail sportsbooks in Ohio will be limited to the largest counties in the state, pro teams, and casinos. There are currently 20 applications that list a proprietor and a sportsbook. However, one of the more interesting names on the list is a company that does not yet have a named sportsbook partner.

Phantom Fireworks applied on Friday to operate a retail sportsbook in Mahoning County. The national retailer is based in Youngstown, which is located in Mahoning.

The OCCC’s list indicates that it is still subject to updates and that the filing announcement does not necessarily indicate that the application is complete.