Ohio Daily Fantasy Sports

Ohio legalized daily fantasy sports in 2017 with a law establishing consumer protection regulations, responsible gambling requirements, and a licensing procedure for DFS sites. In short, licensed Ohio fantasy sports sites operate under a strict regulatory environment and accept players 18 or older.

Fortunately for sports fans, Ohio DFS laws strike the right balance between ensuring consumer protection and fostering a free market. With reasonable licensing fees and a favorable tax situation, Ohio is an attractive market with plenty of options for fans on the lookout for new fantasy sports apps.

Ohio Daily Fantasy Sports Sites

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The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) regulates fantasy sports and issues licenses to qualified operators. The Ohio fantasy sports licensing process is exhaustive, but relatively small application fees have encouraged operators of all types to enter the market.

As a result, players can choose from a wide variety of safe and legal fantasy sports sites in Ohio. All of the following DFS sites and apps hold Ohio licenses, but readers can verify any operator’s license on the OCCC website.

Legal Ohio DFS Apps

Ohio Fantasy Sports Law

Ohio legalized daily fantasy sports in December 2017 when Governor John Kasich signed HB 132 into law. The bill formally legalized daily fantasy sports in Ohio by exempting it from illegal gambling provisions in OH Rev Code § 2915.02 and giving the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) oversight powers.

Additionally, the bill created OH Rev Code §§ 3774.01-3774.09 to enact numerous consumer protection measures designed to keep customers’ funds safe, ensure fair games, and provide resources to address problem gambling.

The OCCC adopted additional regulations in 2019 to fill in the details on the licensing process and consumer protection measures. When drafting Ohio’s DFS regulations, the OCCC opted to prohibit auto-drafting (lineups created on behalf of users) and ban certain proposition-style fantasy contests. OCCC spokeswoman Jessica Franks later explained to local media outlets that both rules are intended to prevent fantasy sports contests from removing the skill element and venturing into illegal gambling territory.

How Ohio Legalized Daily Fantasy Sports

Ohio fantasy sports sites operated freely in Ohio for years before it legalized DFS despite an uncertain legal climate. Existing law did not directly address fantasy sports, so it was unclear if DFS operators were in violation of Ohio laws on illegal gambling. The status quo worked in favor of DFS operators for a time, but lawmakers took notice when FanDuel and DraftKings embarked on an advertising media blitz in 2015.  

The issue came to a head in 2016 when the Ohio Attorney General issued a memorandum indicating that fantasy sports sites may violate several state laws. Although the AG’s memo stated it was a nonbinding analysis and assured operators it had no intentions of initiating prosecutions, it prompted lawmakers to act.

A few months after the AG’s memo, Senator Coley introduced SB 356 to define fantasy sports as games of chance and therefore subject to Ohio gambling laws. Had the bill passed, it would have regulated sports pools not conducted for profit but effectively banned DFS operators like FanDuel and DraftKings. Another bill introduced that year would have authorized and regulated daily fantasy sports in Ohio, but it died before gaining traction.

Fortunately for Ohio daily fantasy sports sites, the unfavorable bill also ran out of steam. Lawmakers introduced more favorable legislation in 2017 via HB 132. The bill easily passed full House and Senate votes, and it received the governor’s signature a short time later to give DFS operators firm legal footing.

Ohio DFS Licensing Conditions

Ohio daily fantasy sports sites are required by law to apply for licensing from the state and imposes a nonrefundable application fee of $3,000 to $30,000 based on the number of customers they have in Ohio. However, Ohio does not charge any special taxes on operators’ revenues.

When reviewing licensing applications for Ohio Daily Fantasy Sports operators, the OCC may consider the following:

  • The operator’s reputation, experience, and financial condition
  • The operator’s character, honesty, and integrity
  • Whether the operator has ever filed for bankruptcy or entered formal proceedings to discharge outstanding debts
  • Whether the operator has ever been a defendant in litigation regarding its business practices
  • Whether the operator has outstanding tax debts greater than one year
  • Whether the operator has cooperated with the OCCC
  • Whether the operator holds licenses and is in good standing with regulators in other states

Ohio DFS Consumer Protection Regulations

Ohio DFS law emphasizes consumer protection, so licensed fantasy sports sites in the Buckeye state are required to:

  • Segregate customers’ funds from operational funds
  • Have policies for managing unclaimed funds
  • Pay winnings to players within five business days
  • Process withdrawal requests within five business days unless they have a reason to believe the customer has engaged in fraud, broken Ohio law, or violated the operator’s terms of use
  • Process customer requests to close their accounts within five business days
  • Explain each contest’s terms and rules upfront
  • Undergo a third-party audit for compliance with all Ohio DFS laws at least once every licensing period
  • Undergo an annual financial audit

Ohio DFS Level Playing Field Rules

A handful of provisions in Ohio daily fantasy sports laws require operators to ensure a level playing field. As such, licensed Ohio DFS sites must:

  • Have policies defining beginners and highly experienced players
  • Offer beginners-only contests
  • Clearly identify highly experienced players to all other players
  • Have procedures to prevent the use of unauthorized scripts

Ohio DFS Responsible Gambling Requirements

Licensed Ohio daily fantasy sports apps must support responsible gambling by:

  • Providing customers with responsible gambling information and the National Council on Problem Gambling helpline
  • Implementing procedures to identify and respond to signs of problem gambling
  • Providing voluntary self-exclusion tools to customers
  • Ensuring their advertisements do not target self-excluded players

Additionally, Ohio DFS operators may voluntarily offer tools for customers to set custom limits on contest entries, entry fees, and deposit limits.

Ohio Daily Fantasy Sports Advertising Rules

Advertisements for Ohio daily fantasy sports sites must:

  • Accurately depict players’ chances of winning, the average number of players who win, and customers’ average net winnings
  • Include a responsible gambling message and information on getting help with problem gambling
  • Clearly explain all limiting terms and conditions or provide a link to such terms
  • Not depict anyone under 18
  • Not imply the endorsement of any university, high school, or youth sports league or athlete
  • Not depict fantasy contests not authorized by Ohio law

Mandatory Internal Procedures

Licensed Ohio daily fantasy sports sites must have written internal procedures to ensure the following:

  • Verification of all customers’ ages and identities
  • Prohibition of minors, voluntarily excluded, and involuntarily excluded individuals from participating in DFS contests
  • Prevention of customers who violate state laws, federal laws, and operators’ terms of use from playing
  • Prohibition of employees, employees’ same-household relatives, athletes, coaches, referees, and other sports league officials from participating in daily fantasy contests
  • Prevention of anyone sharing nonpublic information that can impact fantasy sports contests
  • Compliance with all state laws, federal laws, and industry standards protecting customers’ privacy and funds

Prohibited Activities

Ohio fantasy sports regulations prohibit licensed DFS operators from:

  • Offering auto-drafting features
  • Any other method of building rosters that does not require the input or control of the player
  • Contests in which players choose from preselected rosters of athletes
  • Proposition-style fantasy contests or games that mimic propositions
  • Offering lines of credit to customers

Sanctionable DFS Offenses

The OCCC may sanction licensed Ohio daily fantasy sports sites for any of the following offenses:

  • Violating Ohio fantasy sports laws or regulations
  • Misrepresentation or material omission
  • Fraud
  • Failing to cooperate with the OCCC
  • Failure to comply with any settlement agreement with the OCCC or any OCCC order
  • Failure to comply with a subpoena, grant the OCCC access to records, or testify on matters over which the OCCC has jurisdiction
  • Any conduct that undermines the integrity of or public confidence in Ohio fantasy sports

Ohio Daily Fantasy Sports FAQ

Yes. Daily fantasy sports contests are legal and regulated in Ohio. All Ohio fantasy sports sites must apply for state-issued licenses before offering real-money contests.

Licensed Ohio fantasy sports sites may accept players 18 or older.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission oversees daily fantasy sports to ensure the integrity of contests, promote responsible gambling, and protect consumers.

Yes. Ohio treats daily fantasy sports winnings as taxable income, but BettingUSA urges anyone with questions to speak to a qualified tax professional.