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The days when you paid a visit to a casino just to play roulette, baccarat or blackjack are over. Recent years have seen casinos around the US also offering in-person sports betting facilities. The next US state to make sports betting legal will be Ohio with several sportsbooks opening from January 1, 2023.
It’s been a long wait for sports betting to become legal in Ohio. The legislation that was required was passed last December. Sports betting has become incredibly popular in the US. It’s far safer for gamblers to be betting legally. That’s because of the level of protection available to players compared to the illegal unregulated black market.
However, it’s a long process to go from making betting legal to launching services at venues such as casinos and online. That’s particularly the case when there have been close to 4,000 license applications.
An important step for the casinos who wish to offer sports betting is to find an experienced partner. Barstool Sportsbook Ohio will be launching on January 1 after being granted a license not just for a mobile betting app but also a retail sportsbook. They are partnering with Hollywood Casinos to offer this new service in Columbus, Ohio.
The expansion of the US gambling industry over the past four years has been great news for companies such as Barstool. They already offer sports betting in states such as Arizona, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. With sports betting being made legal in Ohio, it was inevitable that they would be applying to start operating in the state.
According to Ohio.Bet, the launch of legal sports betting in Ohio has been hailed as the “largest ever simultaneous launch of sports gaming in the United States.” Just looking at the list of sportsbooks that will be launching on January 1 shows how true a statement that is from the state’s regulatory body.
There will also be a sportsbook offered by the Hard Rock Casino in Cincinnati. Other gambling companies opening in Ohio include Caesars, FanDuel, BetMGM, Unibet, Tipico and BetRivers.
When mobile sports betting was launched in New York earlier this year, not every sportsbook was available from day one. A similar situation will take place in Ohio. Gamblers in Ohio eager to place their first legal bets on sport will be able to go to the Hollywood Casinos in Columbus and Toledo, the Hard Rock in Cincinnati and the JACK in Cleveland who are partnering with BetJack.
There will be no shortage of events for gamblers to bet on at casinos. January 1st sees the Cleveland Browns taking on the Washington Commanders. The following day, the Cincinnati Bengals are up against the Buffalo Bills.
NBA fans will have the opportunity to place wagers on the Cleveland Cavaliers who play the Chicago Bulls on January 2nd and there’s NHL action on the 3rd as the Columbus Blue Jackets try to get a win against the Ottawa Senators.
It’s good news for the state too of course. Such a massive launch both at casinos, other retail venues and online will bring in millions of dollars of gambling tax revenue.
The January launch will certainly be a big boost to the economy of Ohio. A casino trip won’t just see you hoping that your lucky number comes up on a roulette wheel but also hopefully your bet on the big NFL game will be a winner too.
