Gift Cards Approved As New Way to Bet in Ohio

Gift Cards Approved As New Way to Bet in Ohio
Fact Checked by Pat McLoone

Just in time for the NBA Playoffs, bettors will have a new avenue to deposit funds into their mobile Ohio sports betting apps.

Earlier this week, the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) approved the usage of gift cards.

Gift card funds applied for gaming on Ohio betting sites may only be used with an established sports gaming or casino gaming account in accordance with the rules adopted by the Commission.

Operators are permitted to produce gift cards to be purchased and redeemed by patrons provided that:

  • An individual is 21 years old or over
  • The gift card and any external packaging contains a conspicuous responsible gambling message, including an approved helpline number
  • Conspicuously displays the name/names of the licensed operator for which the gift card can be redeemed
  • Operators must contact the Commission regarding any gift card product before marketing or using that product.

Sports betting providers do offer gift cards in other states where sports betting is legal.

Sports betting, both retail and mobile, launched in Ohio on Jan. 1.

How Ohio Is Doing in Sports Betting Revenue?

The state of Ohio got off to a blazing start financially but understandably cooled down a month later.

The opening month of January brought in a whopping total handle of $1.114 billion and produced revenue of more than $209 million.

The figures dropped off quite a bit in February.

The handle for February was a little less than $640 million, a huge drop of 42.6%. The revenue dropped even more, by 60.4%, falling to $82.88 million.

February’s leader, according to the OCCC, was Belterra Park, which has a FanDuel Ohio Sportsbook. You can find a FanDuel Ohio promo on this site.

Make sure to check back frequently to BetOhio.com for updates on sports wagering in the state as well as for Ohio sportsbook promos.

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Author

Lou Monaco
Lou Monaco
Reporter/Journalist

Lou Monaco had been East Coast Scene columnist for Gaming Today in Las Vegas since June 2019, covering the East Coast sportsbook scene with emphasis on NJ and PA. He also currently is a part-time writer for the high school sports department for NJ Advanced Media (NJ.com) in Iselin, NJ. Lou has over 30 years sports experience with previous stints at ESPN SportsTicker, Daily Racing Form and Oddschecker.

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