Ohio Casino Control Commission, Sports Gaming — Sports Gaming Rules under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3775 and Ohio Administrative Code Title 3775
All 22 Ohio standards, organised by theme
A searchable, filterable index of the Ohio Casino Control Commission's sports gaming rules under ORC Chapter 3775 and OAC Title 3775, covering the duties every Type A, B, and C proprietor owes to Ohio patrons. Ohio licenses sports gaming only; iCasino is not offered. Standards are grouped by theme, tagged for the player-protection categories our editorial team tracks most closely, with the underlying rule references attached to each card.
Editorial summary, not legal advice. Every card on this page is a plain-English summary of the regulator's own rule, cross-checked against the primary source. Always verify against the published text before filing, launching, or advising.
Licensing, Suitability, and Integrity Infrastructure
Ensure that only suitable entities and individuals offer sports gaming to Ohio patrons and that every proprietor is plugged into a certified cross-operator integrity-monitoring channel.
3 standards
0%
player-flagged
Regulatory risks this theme addresses
Unsuitable owners, key employees, or suppliers accessing the Ohio sports gaming market
Suspicious wagering activity going undetected across operators
Proprietor and Individual Licensure 2
ORC Ch. 3775 / OAC Ch. 1.1
Sports Gaming Proprietor Licensure (Type A, B, C)
No person may offer sports gaming to patrons physically located in Ohio without a current proprietor licence issued by the Ohio Casino Control Commission as a Type A (online/mobile), Type B (brick-and-mortar), or Type C (host) proprietor, and no key employee may perform a gaming-related function without an individual licence.
Requirements
Submit a Type A, B, or C application with all supporting ownership, financial, and suitability disclosures
Maintain licensure in good standing throughout the operating period and notify the Commission of any change of control
Procure separate licences for each management services provider, mobile management services provider, and supplier engaged
OAC Ch. 1.2
Key Employee, Gaming Employee, and Supplier Licensing
Each individual who performs a gaming-related duty for a sports gaming proprietor, management services provider, mobile management services provider, or supplier must hold a current gaming employee or key employee licence issued by the Commission before commencing that duty.
Requirements
Complete fingerprinting, background check, and suitability disclosures
Renew individual licensure on the Commission's published cadence
Notify the Commission within 10 days of any material change in employment or disqualifying conduct
Cross-Operator Integrity Monitor 1
OAC Ch. 1.3
Independent Integrity Monitor Certification
Each sports gaming proprietor shall be a member of, or contract with, an independent integrity monitor certified by the Commission, so that suspicious or unusual wagering activity is escalated through a cross-operator monitoring channel.
Requirements
Contract with a certified independent integrity monitor before accepting wagers
Report unusual or suspicious wagering to the integrity monitor in accordance with the monitor's protocols
Cooperate with cross-operator integrity-monitor distributions and Commission follow-up
2
Theme 2
Responsible Gambling and the Voluntary Exclusion Program
Protect Ohio patrons from gambling-related harm through the statewide Voluntary Exclusion Program, mandatory patron-set limits, and a filed disordered-and-problem-gambling plan.
4 standards4 player-flagged
100%
player-flagged
Regulatory risks this theme addresses
Voluntarily excluded Ohio residents opening accounts or receiving marketing
Patrons escalating to disordered gambling without effective intervention
Operator bypass of patron-set limits through marketing or relaxation mechanics
Voluntary Exclusion Program 2
OAC 2.1
Ohio Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP)
RG CriticalPlayer Rights
The Commission operates a sports gaming Voluntary Exclusion Program under which an individual may self-enroll for one year, five years, or lifetime, and during enrollment all Type A, B, and C sports gaming proprietors are prohibited from knowingly opening an account for, accepting a wager from, or paying winnings to the excluded person. The sports VEP is operated in the manner prescribed for the casino VEP under Chapter 3772-12.
Requirements
Honour the statewide VEP list published by the Commission across all Type A, B, and C operations
Do not open an account for, accept a wager from, or remit winnings to any person on the list for the duration of their election
Retain no direct marketing relationship with an enrolled person during the exclusion period
Enrollment periods of one year, five years, and lifetime are established under OAC 3772-12-02. Lifetime-enrolled persons may seek removal only after five years plus completion of an education program under OAC 3772-12-05.
OAC 2.2
Excluded-Entity Duties: VEP Check and Marketing Suppression
RG Critical
A sports gaming proprietor is an excluded entity under Chapter 3772-12 and shall establish procedures to identify voluntarily excluded persons at account registration and on an ongoing basis, to deny them access to gambling and player-reward programs, and to suppress all direct marketing and promotional communications to them.
Requirements
Screen every new patron registration against the current statewide VEP list before account activation
Re-screen the active patron base against the list on a recurring cadence
Remove enrolled persons from all direct-marketing, loyalty, and promotional distribution lists
The VEP list is updated by the Commission; cached copies must be refreshed in line with the Commission's published update cadence.
Problem-Gambling Plan and Account RG Controls 2
OAC 2.3
Disordered and Problem Gambling Plan
RG Critical
Each sports gaming proprietor shall adopt, maintain, and file with the Commission a disordered and problem gambling plan that describes staff training, responsible gambling messaging, patron assistance, and the process for identifying and responding to indicators of problem gambling.
Requirements
Train all employees who interact with patrons or handle wagering accounts on problem-gambling indicators and referral procedures
Display the Ohio problem-gambling helpline prominently across the platform and in advertising
Review and re-file the plan on the cadence required by the Commission
OAC 2.4
Patron Account Controls: Deposit, Wager, and Time Limits
RG CriticalPlayer Rights
Immediately upon registration, a sports gaming proprietor shall provide each patron an easy, obvious, and prominent method for setting limits on deposits, wagers, and time-based parameters for their sports gaming account. A patron's self-imposed limit may not override a more restrictive operator-imposed limit, and a patron may only reduce the severity of a self-imposed limit after the self-imposed period has expired.
Requirements
Offer patron-set deposit, wager, and time-based limits in the account interface from the point of registration
Apply tightening changes to limits immediately
Hold any increase or relaxation of a self-imposed limit until the original self-imposed period has expired
Ohio imposes no numeric statutory default deposit cap. The obligation is to offer tools and to make operator-set limits binding over more permissive patron elections.
3
Theme 3
Advertising, Promotions, and Bonuses
Keep sports gaming advertising in Ohio honest, opt-in, and away from protected audiences, and prevent operators describing bonus offers as free or risk-free when the patron must still risk their own money.
5 standards5 player-flagged
100%
player-flagged
Regulatory risks this theme addresses
Misleading free or risk-free bet claims that induce patrons to wager their own funds
Campus-directed or youth-directed advertising reaching persons under 21
Affiliate or influencer channels advertising outside the Chapter 3775-16 rules
Content, Targeting, and Campus 3
OAC 3.1
Required Advertising Content and Helpline
Bonus & Ads
Every sports gaming advertisement directed at Ohio patrons shall disclose the identity of the licensed proprietor, the material terms and conditions of any offer, and a problem-gambling prevention message with a helpline, being either the 24-hour national problem-gambling helpline, the helpline established by the State of Ohio, or a helpline approved in writing by the Commission's Executive Director.
Requirements
Include the licensed proprietor's identity on every advertisement
Include a conspicuous problem-gambling message and a qualifying helpline number
Disclose material odds, terms, and conditions for any advertised offer
OAC 3.2
Prohibited Targeting and Misleading Claims
Bonus & AdsRG Critical
A sports gaming proprietor shall not publish, or cause to be published, advertising that targets persons under 21, ineligible persons, problem gamblers, or other vulnerable individuals, and shall not use false, deceptive, or misleading claims, including any suggestion that sports gaming offers a guaranteed path to financial success.
Requirements
Exclude persons under 21, problem gamblers, and other vulnerable audiences from targeted marketing
Do not represent sports gaming as a solution to financial, employment, or personal problems
Retain evidence of audience-targeting criteria used in any advertising campaign
OAC 3.3
Campus Advertising Restriction
Bonus & Ads
A sports gaming proprietor shall not target advertisements to the campus of any Ohio college or university, provided that generally available broadcast, print, or digital media that incidentally reach a campus audience are not prohibited.
Requirements
Exclude Ohio college and university campuses from targeted-media buys, sponsorships, and on-premise branding
Review affiliate, influencer, and partner channels for campus-directed placement
Document the geographic and audience filters applied to each campaign
Ohio's campus restriction is one of the tightest in the United States and sits within a broader prohibition on targeting vulnerable audiences.
Bonuses and Affiliate Channels 2
OAC 3.4
Free, Risk-Free, and Bonus Offer Rules
Bonus & AdsPlayer Rights
No sports gaming proprietor shall advertise a wager as free, risk-free, or of no cost to the patron where the patron is required to lose or risk any of their own money to claim the advertised offer or to withdraw the winnings of the offer. Material terms of every promotion and bonus shall be disclosed with equal prominence to the headline of the offer.
Requirements
Do not describe a promotion as free or risk-free if the patron must wager or lose their own money to realise its value
Disclose wagering requirements, eligible markets, expiry, and maximum cashout before the patron opts in
Retain the creative and terms of each promotion for the period required by the Commission
The 2023 settlements with DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars arose from the application of this rule.
OAC 3.5
Affiliate Marketer Obligations
Affiliate RulesBonus & Ads
A sports gaming proprietor shall ensure that any affiliate marketer, influencer, or third party compensated for directing patrons to the proprietor complies with the advertising and promotional rules of Chapter 3775-16, and is responsible for the acts of those third parties.
Requirements
Bind each affiliate by written agreement to the Chapter 3775-16 advertising rules
Monitor affiliate creative and placement for campus, targeting, and misleading-claim compliance
Terminate non-compliant affiliate relationships and report material breaches to the Commission
4
Theme 4
Integrity Monitoring and Approved Wagers
Limit wagering to events and markets the Commission has approved, block prohibited bettors, and ensure that unusual wagering activity is detected and redistributed across the operator population.
3 standards2 player-flagged
67%
player-flagged
Regulatory risks this theme addresses
Wagering on unapproved or prohibited markets such as NCAA player props
Athletes, coaches, or officials wagering on events they can influence
Suspicious wagering patterns going unreported across the operator population
Approved Catalogue and Prohibited Persons 2
OAC 4.1
Approved Events and Wager-Type Catalogue
Game Design
A sports gaming proprietor may only accept wagers on events and wager types approved by the Commission, and shall implement any restriction requested by the governing body of a sport and accepted by the Commission, including the prohibition on NCAA player-prop wagers adopted following the NCAA's 2024 petition.
Requirements
Limit markets to the current Commission-approved catalogue of events and wager types
Disable NCAA player-prop markets and any other sports-governing-body restriction accepted by the Commission
Submit new event or wager-type approvals through the Commission's catalogue process before offering them
OAC 4.2
Prohibited Persons and Sports Governing Body Lists
RG Critical
A sports gaming proprietor shall block wagering by persons prohibited from wagering under Chapter 3775, including Commission employees, proprietor key employees, and athletes, coaches, officials, and others identified by a sports governing body whose participation could affect the integrity of an event.
Requirements
Ingest and honour prohibited-persons lists provided by each sports governing body
Block account creation and any wager attempt by prohibited persons, including Commission employees and proprietor key employees
Cooperate with Commission and sports-governing-body investigations of suspected prohibited wagering
Unusual Wagering Escalation 1
OAC 4.3
Integrity-Monitoring Reporting of Unusual Wagering
A sports gaming proprietor shall report unusual or suspicious wagering activity to its certified independent integrity monitor in accordance with the monitor's protocols, and shall take any reasonable action required by the Commission in response to the report, including suspension of a market or a patron's wagering privileges.
Requirements
Establish internal thresholds and procedures for identifying unusual wagering activity
Transmit reports to the integrity monitor within the protocol-defined window
Preserve bet-level records and communications relevant to any escalated event
Unusual activity is redistributed across the monitor's membership so that other proprietors can take defensive action on the same markets.
5
Theme 5
Patron Accounts, KYC, and Player Funds
Require verified identity and age 21 at the door, transparent account terms, reserved patron funds, and timely withdrawal processing for every Ohio sports gaming patron.
4 standards4 player-flagged
100%
player-flagged
Regulatory risks this theme addresses
Persons under 21 opening Ohio sports gaming accounts
Patron funds commingled with operator working capital
Withdrawals delayed beyond the five-business-day window without disclosure
Account Opening and KYC 2
OAC 5.1
Patron Identity Verification and Age 21 Gate
RG CriticalPlayer Rights
Before activating a sports gaming account or accepting a deposit or wager, a proprietor shall verify that the patron is at least 21 years of age and confirm the patron's identity through digital or physical examination of a government-issued identification document, or through multi-source authentication approved in writing by the Executive Director.
Requirements
Verify patron age and identity before the account can deposit or wager
Resolve any verification discrepancy before wagering is permitted
Retain verification records for the period required by the Commission
Ohio's minimum sports-gaming age is 21, set by ORC 3775.01 and enforced at account opening.
OAC 5.2
Account Opening, Acknowledgements, and Close-Out Notice
Player Rights
At account opening a proprietor shall require the patron to acknowledge their legal age, the terms and conditions of the account, and the availability of responsible-gambling resources, and on account closure the patron shall be provided with information on responsible-gambling resources and the Ohio Voluntary Exclusion Program.
Requirements
Capture a patron acknowledgement of age, terms, and responsible-gambling resource availability
Provide close-out information that directs the patron to the VEP and problem-gambling resources
Retain the acknowledgement and close-out record within the account history
Player Funds and Withdrawals 2
OAC 5.3
Reserve Funds Covering Patron Balances
Player Rights
Each sports gaming proprietor shall maintain reserves in cash, cash equivalents, or a surety acceptable to the Commission, in an amount sufficient at all times to cover the aggregate of patron account balances and outstanding liabilities of the proprietor to its patrons.
Requirements
Reconcile reserve balances to aggregate patron liabilities on the cadence required by the Commission
File reserve attestations with the Commission
Segregate patron funds from operating capital in the manner approved by the Commission
OAC 5.4
Withdrawal Processing Within Five Business Days
Player Rights
A sports gaming proprietor shall honour a patron withdrawal request within five business days of receipt, except where the proprietor is investigating suspected fraud, money laundering, or a violation of law, in which case the proprietor shall communicate the status of the withdrawal to the patron and resolve the investigation without unreasonable delay.
Requirements
Process patron withdrawals within five business days absent a permitted hold
Communicate the status and reason for any hold in writing to the patron
Close any permitted hold as soon as the predicate investigation is resolved
6
Theme 6
Equipment, Systems, and Incident Reporting
Require independent certification of the systems that take Ohio wagers, keep wagering inside the state border, and escalate incidents and suspicious activity to the Commission in time to act on them.
3 standards2 player-flagged
67%
player-flagged
Regulatory risks this theme addresses
Uncertified wagering, account, or geolocation systems reaching production
Wagers accepted from outside Ohio due to geolocation weaknesses
Material incidents or integrity events not escalated to the Commission
Certification and Systems 2
OAC 6.1
Independent Testing Laboratory Certification of Systems
Game Design
Sports gaming equipment and systems, including wagering engines, account platforms, and geolocation subsystems, shall be tested and certified by an independent testing laboratory holding current Commission certification before they are placed into production, and re-certified following any material change.
Requirements
Engage an ITL certified under Chapter 3775-15 for every production deployment
Obtain a written certification letter before a system processes live wagers
Re-certify the system after any material change to wagering, account, or geolocation components
OAC 6.2
Sports Gaming System Requirements and Geolocation
Game Design
A sports gaming system shall accept wagers only from patrons physically located within the State of Ohio, shall authenticate the patron for each wagering session, and shall log the information required by the Commission to reconstruct any wager, account transaction, or integrity-monitoring event.
Requirements
Enforce geolocation checks at the start of and during each wagering session
Authenticate the patron on each new session and re-authenticate per the approved internal controls
Preserve logs sufficient to reconstruct wagers, account actions, and integrity events
Incident Escalation 1
OAC 6.3
Incident and Suspicious-Activity Reporting to the Commission
A sports gaming proprietor shall report to the Commission, within the timeframes the Commission specifies, any material incident, suspected criminal activity, suspected integrity issue, system failure affecting patron wagers or funds, or violation of Chapter 3775 by the proprietor or any person acting on its behalf.
Requirements
Maintain a written incident-response and reporting procedure
Preserve logs, records, and communications relevant to each reportable event
Cooperate with Commission and law-enforcement investigations arising from reported incidents
Ohio does not codify a dedicated state anti-money-laundering programme for sports gaming; federal Bank Secrecy Act obligations apply where applicable, and state-level suspicious-activity reporting is channelled through this incident-reporting rule.
