There are no local online casino operators in Ohio. There are only offshore online casino operators, of which you can trust the large, established big brands. GambleDex recommends the big brand names of online casinos: Bovada, Slots.lv and Vegas Casino Online. There are no legal Ohio online casinos at present. Similar to many other states in the country, it is understood that many states are watching New Jersey to see how an online casino plays out before adopting. The casino industry is a natural way of life here, it. There are no laws regulating online gambling in Ohio for the time being. This doesn’t mean you’ll be breaking the law if you’re playing in online casinos from Ohio. You won’t be punished by the state’s law enforcement officials if you gamble online. Ohio sits in what we call the “grey area” of legal igaming in the USA. This means that online gambling isn’t explicitly legal or illegal in the state – basically that there. We have hundreds of slot machines with various games. Let us help you find the best machine for you. Call or text us at 513-850-1384 if you are looking for a particular machine or game.

With a limited number of land-based casinos to choose from in a state with an area of 44,828 square miles, Ohio residents and guests might not be as close to a casino as they’d like. Thankfully, real money Ohio online casinos are available to fill in the gaps with a much more convenient gambling experience. If you’re looking for the top Ohio online casinos and gambling apps, you’re where you need to be. The chart below outlines the safest, most trusted, and highest-ranked betting sites available in your state.

Ohio Online Sports Betting Laws

What Makes These the Top Ohio Online Casinos?

We didn’t just do a quick Google search and pull the first few real money Ohio casino apps and online casino sites for our listing. Our review process is a strict, labor-intensive procedure aimed at delivering only the best of the best. Often, we’re called “too strict” with our process, but we take that as a compliment. Yes, we might exclude some pretty good Ohio online casinos. But our strict approach guarantees you’re only going to see the top, most-trusted options available.

Let’s look at the three most significant factors our team evaluates when creating the list of the best real money online casinos accepting Ohio players.

Casino Website Safety and Security

Nothing else matters if an online betting site is not safe and secure. The first and last stops of our review process are here. From top to bottom, we analyze the best Ohio online casinos to ensure they’re offering the safest, most secure, and most trusted online experience. In a world of continually evolving digital threats, this is not easy. But the safest Ohio online casinos have put forth the right resources, hired the right people, and emplaced the correct processes to keep you safe. Below we have a table with our recommendations for the safest casino sites for Ohio gamblers. Continue reading to find out what you should expect when choosing Ohio casinos online.

Here are essential safety and security requirements you should expect from top Ohio online casinos.

• Proper SSL site encryption
• Trusted banking partner relationships
• Dedicated security teams

• An aggressive approach to security
• Third-party oversight
• Solid track record of a safe betting experience

Casino Games Ohio Gamblers Want

Residents and guests of Ohio love to gamble. The state ranks eighth in annual casino gross gaming revenue and eighth in yearly lottery sales! We’re guessing the 18,000+ slot machines in OH have something to do with this.

It should come as no shock to anyone that the most popular casino games for residents of Ohio are slot machines. There’s just something about the one-armed bandits that get residents of the “Buckeye State” excited. Armed with this statistic, our research and review teams seek out the best Ohio online casinos that cater to real money slot players. If we didn’t put extra focus on the games that you love, we wouldn’t be doing our job well.

What happens if you’re an OH resident who enjoys different casino games? If slots aren’t your main squeeze, that’s okay. All of the top Ohio online gambling sites recommended here offer a well-rounded selection of casino games. You will see slight favoritism towards slots-heavy Ohio gambling sites, but there will be high-quality offerings for all major casino games.

High-Quality Online Casino Experience

There’s no way we could claim to recommend the best Ohio online casinos unless we put a massive emphasis on quality. Thankfully, that is exactly what we do. Our review teams spend a significant portion of their time reviewing and ranking the quality of each betting site option available. They look at the quality of the games, the lobby, banking, customer service, and more. There’s never an acceptable excuse for any Ohio online casino sites to offer anything less than the best.

Curious about what our quality control process looks like? We’ve included our checklist below.

• Regularly updated casino games
• Classic favorites still offered
• Best game graphics available
• Top of the line game animations

• Fastest game servers
• Fair games
• Quality customer service
• Options for Sports Betting

Mobile Compatibility and Ohio Casino Apps

Last but not least are the advent of real money Ohio casino apps that residents can play at. The top online casinos in Ohio should offer an enjoyable mobile gambling experience or, in most cases, a full-blown casino app for gambling online with real money.

In today’s world, players should have the option to play casino games anywhere in the state and not be constricted by their desktop computers. Ohio mobile gambling apps have already made a name for themselves in the state, and we expect to see an increase in overall use and compatibility for Ohio players.

Is It Legal to Gamble Online for Real Money at Ohio Casino Sites?

While many would say the answer to this question in any US state is a gray area, we disagree. Under our interpretation of the current law, gambling online in Ohio is legal. Let’s take a look at both sides of the argument so you can make a decision for yourself.

Currently, there are zero laws or statutes in Ohio addressing gambling at any Ohio online casinos. Legal hardliners argue that, because there’s no regulations in the law books, it must be illegal. But this argument is easily invalidated. Nowhere in Ohio law does it say petting your dog is legal. There is no language regulating the petting of dogs. Does that make petting your dog illegal? Absolutely not. But, according to their logic, it would be.

For something to be unlawful, it must break the law. If there are no laws being broken, it’s legal. Why this creates a gray area for some, we don’t know. To us, though, it’s clear as day. When you gamble at any of our recommended Ohio casino gambling sites, you are not breaking any Ohio laws. We can be confident of this because there are no laws addressing Ohio online gambling. For the most accurate interpretation of Ohio gambling laws, please reach out to an OH gambling attorney.

Predicting the Future of Ohio Online Casinos

There are two factors that are important to note.

1. Recently, we’ve seen OH sports betting bills floating through the state legal system.
2. The brick and mortar legal landscape is great in Ohio.

These indicators lead us to believe the future for real money Ohio casino gambling apps and casino websites is bright. The state is working on legislation to regulate one aspect of real money online gambling in Ohio. Additionally, the state already has a positive stance on casino games as a whole. These two things coupled together spell a bright future for the regulation of Ohio gambling sites and casino apps.

We predict laws outlining the regulation and licensing of Ohio casinos online to be released sometime in the next five years. We don’t expect many laws regarding players to be released. This has been the trend in other states in the US exhibiting the same indicators.

Land-Based Ohio Casinos – A Look at the Laws

To set the stage for this discussion, let’s look at Ohio brick and mortar gambling and casinos by the numbers.

• $1.863 billion in annual gross gaming revenue (brick and mortar casinos)
• $3.93 billion in yearly lottery sales
• 100+ live poker tables
• 18,000+ slots and gaming machines
• 300+ casino table games

Gambling in Ohio for real money is legal and available via many different mediums on the brick and mortar front. Top 10 rankings in gross gaming and lottery sales are excellent indicators of the gambling climate in the state. Here is a quick list of some of the more popular casinos in Ohio:

Ohio gambling is governed by code sections 2915.01 et seq. and 3769.01 et seq. Here are the major takeaways:

• Indian casinos are legal.
• Commercial casinos are legal in Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati, and Cleveland.
• Horse racing wagering is permitted on-site and at satellite locations.
• Charitable gambling is legal.
• Social gambling is permitted.

Ohio Online Casinos FAQ

• Yes! All reputable online casinos accepting Ohio gamblers listed on this page are 100% safe to use. Do keep in mind, you still have to hold up your end of the bargain to keep the experience safe. Here are those requirements:

  • Use a strong password and change it every 90 days. Do not store passwords on your device.
  • Never log into any Ohio online casinos from a shared or public computer.
  • Keep your computer, operating system, and antivirus software regularly updated.
  • Never gamble with more funds than you’re comfortable losing.
  • If you’re intoxicated or upset, don’t gamble. Seek help if you feel you have a problem.
  • Don’t stray from the Ohio online casino sites we’ve determined to be reputable, safe, and trustworthy. We cannot make these guarantees for other sites.

• You certainly can! All of the best Ohio online casinos recommended here offer casino game action for real money. You can play for stakes as low as a penny or as high as your heart desires. All winnings can be electronically transferred to your bank account, e-wallet, or sent to you via paper check.

• What Casino Games Are Available at Ohio Online Casinos?

  You can play any casino game for real money at the top Ohio online casino sites recommended here. This includes the following:

  • Table games
  • Casino-style games
  • Keno and bingo
  • Slot machines
  • Sports betting
  • Fantasy sports and daily fantasy leagues
  • Scratch-offs

• Can I Try Out Any Ohio Online Casinos Sites Before Playing for Real Money?

  Yes, you can. The Ohio online casino sites recommended here offer all of their real money games for play money stakes. You can try out any game for free without any risks of losing any money. It’s a great way to try out a new casino, learn a new game, hone a strategy, or just have some fun.

This state is a rather late bloomer in the United States online gambling market, but with a varied alternatives scheme, and having some fine perspectives in the future development of online gambling, Ohio is one of the most interesting places to keep under surveillance. Although the Ohio gambling laws have gradually evolved to the current state of affairs, there is still a way to go and some aspects to be taken care of. Online casinos, Ohio based would be one of the changes mentioned before, which would surely help the gambling expansion statewide and why not, even nationwide.

Best Online Casino Sites for Ohio

Contents

Ohio Gambling Laws

The way gambling has evolved in this state, seemed to always go up in a short-lived burst, resulting in an intense expansion, creating the scenery at hand these days. The first modern set of Ohio gaming laws first appeared late, in the middle 70s, after three years of attempts on behalf of the residents, trying to instate a lottery. Not long after, charitable organizations were given permission to organize raffles or bingo nights. And even if this doesn’t sound like much, it was a big deal, seeing how these were the only modifications in this area for more than 30 years, until the Ohio casino laws were put in place.

2009 meant the big breakthrough for Ohio casinos, with a bill passing through, which, in exchange for promises of new jobs and additional tax revenues, regulated the instatement of casinos in the state. But how many casinos are in Ohio, following this development? The state prides itself with 4 such casinos and resorts, basically in the main cities.
However, the list of casinos in Ohio can be expanded by including the seven other racinos that have opened gates since then. In 2012 the turning point happened when the introduction of Ohio gaming slot machines has been allowed in the existent, as well as in the newly opened, race tracks.

The current gambling stage here is not that different from most other US states, with the same restrictions and the same prudent appetite towards the expansion of gambling. For instance, the gambling age in Ohio is of 21 for casino gaming and 18 only for horse racing, as is the case with most states.

Ohio Online Gambling

A decisive stance regarding the expansion of the gambling market into the online area has never been specifically underlined. Therefore, wondering whether or not is online poker legal in Ohio, is a legit preoccupation. Even though, for the time being, there isn’t a legal framework to cover the online aspect, there are a couple of points worthy to be considered:

• Social gaming: a couple of the existing casinos and racinos, already offer the online framework for the development of online gambling, by giving the opportunity to access for free, on their websites, some of the games existent in the land-based casinos.
• Commissioned study: there has been a study put at the state’s disposal which suggests that legalizing online gambling ensures the maximization of tax incomes.
• Pennsylvania: the neighbouring state has already put in motion the necessary laws for state-based online casinos. Hopefully, local lawmakers are casting quick glances across state borders, and we might be talking soon about an online casino Ohio.
• Off-shore: these sites, which accept US residents are already a notable competitor for the land-based venues. More so if we’re talking about those sites thoroughly verified and reviewed by professionals, as are the ones on the new RTG casinos list above. The security requirements rival those of any state-based establishment, making them a popular option. And the most popular is Bovada which is legal in Ohio and satisfies most the American players.

• Top 1 USA online casino
• Fast payouts

Ohio Offline Gambling Options

Land-based Casinos

The Ohio casinos haven’t managed to fulfil their initial promises of new jobs and income, but still, they’ve made an impact. They have also pinned the blame on the apparition of racinos which take away a big part of their customers. These being said, the casino operators claim there is an oversaturated market, with a direct impact on the implementation of online poker in Ohio.
However, the example of the neighbouring state of PA, which entrusted the online business exclusively to the existing casinos, might change the situation altogether.

Racinos

The main supplier for Ohio gaming slots, these establishments have also become the main competitors for the initial casinos and resorts. There is an ever-going race for customers between them, as the casinos often complain that racinos have been allowed by the authorities to open up shop, regardless of market studies or strategic positioning and have put a dent in their original market shares and subsequently in their profits.

Lottery

Can I Gamble Online In Ohio

A solid alternative to the games offered by any casino Ohio based is the lottery. After it was voted for, in 1973, the lottery developed step by step, across the 30-year period when it was the main possibility to gamble in this state. This day, the resident can enjoy the state lottery, as well as the inter-state options. Also, there are restaurants and different venues which allow the play of keno, by transmitting the results of draws every four minutes.
Some people even consider the VLTs installed in racinos as a form of lottery, rather than slot-like gambling, even though the similarities between the two systems are numerous.

Future Expectations

In these past few years, the focus shifted from the question is gambling legal in Ohio to where is the gambling expansion going next? On this matter, there are slight chances for any new Ohio gambling license to be issued anytime soon. The existing casinos already voice their concerns regarding the oversaturation of this market and see how the predicted revenues haven’t happened yet, state authorities might be less inclined to add other venues to the mix.

However, the option of online casinos Ohio might still be viable, pretty much depending on the way, the system created by the neighbouring state of Pennsylvania is going to turn out. It might just become the push needed for authorities to see it as a means for bringing some extra revenues, without increasing taxes.

You Might Also be Interested in:

Kentucky online gambling
Indiana online gambling
Michigan state online casinos
Pennsylvania online gambling
West Virginia state online casinos

Is gambling legal in Ohio?

Yes. Although the way the Ohio gambling laws were issued might have made us believe that authorities were reluctant to this subject, in fact, the gambling scene is varied enough. There are some casinos Ohio based which offer all the alternatives of casino games. Also, racinos have quite a supply of games as well. A lottery is also an option, and some perspectives for online gambling exist, as well, especially if we consider the free-trials on the official websites of the existing establishments.

How many casinos are in Ohio?

The list of casinos in Ohio is not that expansive as other states have accustomed us with. There are only four casinos and resorts in this state. However, as far as Ohio slots go, there are seven more racinos statewide, which have a high number of VLTs installed.

Is online poker legal in Ohio?

At this moment there isn’t any state-based site for online poker legal in Ohio, nor is there any true debate about creating the legislation for such a business. However, the laws don’t make it illegal for players to use off-shore websites. There is a number of such alternatives, carefully reviewed, which offer the security and gaming quality required for a care-free entertainment.

What's the gambling age in Ohio?

The legal gambling age in Ohio is of 21 years old for casino-type games and of only 18 for horse racing.

Is online gambling legal in Ohio, now or in the near future?

The talk about online gambling Ohio could take place by looking from two different vantage points. First, it’s the reluctant reaction we’ve seen from the majority law-makers across the US and from casino operators, as well. The competition is fierce, giving out licenses to this sort of businesses and allowing them to exploit the main advantage of easy-access, might put an additional strain on the existing venues.
The second way to look at things is by simply taking a glance at the way Pennsylvania decided to implement this and replicate the idea for one or more sites of online poker Ohio based. Issuing the licenses exclusively to the existing casino businesses might just enhance the customer base and create additional incomes.

Additional Sources:

http://www.playitsafeohio.org/problem-gambling-information/faqs/
https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/FAQ/Charitable-Gaming-FAQs