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Ohio gaming regulator moves to ban credit card deposits for sports betting

Legal Writer

Publish Date: May 12, 2026

Fact checked by: Matt Moreno

Key Points

Ohio Casino Control Commission has initiated process to impose new restrictions on permissible payment methods for licensed sportsbooks.
Many licensed sports betting app operators have already voluntarily removed credit cards from their deposit method options.
Restriction follows scrutiny on practice tied to responsible gambling.

People in Ohio who wager with licensed online sportsbooks may soon face new restrictions on the payment methods they can use to fund their accounts. If a proposed rule from the Ohio Casino Control Commission becomes final, credit cards will no longer be permissible for online gambling deposits in the state.

Users of many of the most popular sports betting apps in Ohio won’t see any change, though, as these companies have already stopped accepting credit card deposits. The number of gaming companies instituting the policy is growing, as is the number of jurisdictions in the United States mandating the rule.

Ohio State quarterback Julian Saying attempts a pass.

(Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Ohio Casino Control Commission set to tighten deposit method options

The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) published a notice of the proposed rule change on May 4. The new language for the state’s sports wagering rules is simple, focused on removing credit cards as a deposit option for online gambling.

If the rule becomes final, Ohio sports bettors will still have several deposit options, including digital and electronic choices.

ACH transfers
Debit cards
Electronic wallets
Play+ prepaid cards

Credit cards as a deposit method have fallen out of favor with bettors, lawmakers, and regulators for multiple reasons. Banking policies and responsible gambling are among the factors.

Why credit cards are a target for gambling policymakers

Credit cards tend to be an expensive form of funding an online gambling account because of associated policies that are common with financial institutions. Many lenders grade transactions using these accounts as cash advances, carrying additional fees and higher interest rates, while others prevent gambling transactions altogether.

Aside from the potential elevated cost, responsible gambling concerns have been significant motivators for bans on credit card usage. As one example, the Illinois Gaming Board cited “a growing body of recent research showing that restrictions on credit usage to fund wagering accounts encourages responsible gambling and mitigates the harms of compulsive gambling” in imposing its corresponding regulation in April 2025.

Ohio could become the eighth U.S. state to ban credit card deposits for sports betting, taking into account actions taken by gambling regulators and state lawmakers. Two others could also soon join the list, as Colorado lawmakers are considering a ban and the same is under advisement in New Jersey.

To an extent, though, the bans may have little actual impact because sportsbooks are moving away from the practice as well.

Sportsbook operators abandoning credit card payments

Many of the most popular online sportsbook operators servicing Ohio have already made the move to refuse attempts to deposit using credit cards. Since August 2025, five major brands have announced the change.

bet365
BetMGM
Caesars
DraftKings
FanDuel

In addition, Fanatics Sportsbook has never permitted credit card deposits. Those six books routinely account for more than 90% of monthly online sports betting activity in Ohio.

Credit cards are becoming irrelevant as online gambling deposit methods, whether due to abandonment or tighter regulation. The only parties that may not benefit from the change are the banks that have been collecting fees from the practice.

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