The Cincinnati Bengals has become the first professional sporting outfit to apply for a sports betting license in Ohio. The NFL franchise has applied for both a type-A license as well as a type-B.
The 2021 Super Bowl LVI runners-up became the fourth business to apply for approval as a type-A sports gaming proprietor, joining Hall of Fame Village, Thistledown Racino and Jack Cleveland Casino. All of the aforementioned have also applied for a type-B license which would allow operation of a retail betting facility.
Currently just Elys Technology has applied for a type-C license, which will allow for the operation of sports betting at a licensed bar.
The proposed licensing structure for Ohio sports betting allows what are more commonly known as ‘betting operators’ to apply for a mobile management services provider license. They would then be expected to partner with type-A licensees, allowing them to offer a mobile or online product which is operated by the aforementioned provider.
The companies that have so far applied for a mobile management services provider license are: BetMGM, PointsBet, DraftKings, Penn National Gaming, Fnatics and FanDuel with the last two becoming the most recent earlier this week.
Sports betting will launch on January 1st 2023 in Ohio, the Casino Control Commission has formally announced. The proposed betting day falls on a Sunday with 14 NFL fixtures slated and the Cotton Bowl and Rose Bowl just around the corner too.
The legislation for Ohio outlines there could be as many as 46 licenses dished out, but with 11 casinos, 8 sports teams, the PGA Tour and NASCAR all potentially able to operate a maximum of 2 skins, the on launch potential could be in the 42 mark (should all of them apply, which is not the case at present).
