Ohio Sweepstakes Casino: Are Sweepstakes Casinos Legal in Ohio?

Is it legal to play at online casinos in Ohio?

Ohio is one of those states that has released a very comprehensive guide on what is allowed and what is not allowed in the state. If you read the guide released by the Attorney General’s Office (https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/March-2011/Attorney-General-DeWine-Calls-for-Oversight-of-Int/gambling.aspx) , you will have a clear idea of the gambling laws in the state.

If you check out Section 2915.02 (https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2915.02) of the Ohio Penal Code, you will find the following provisions:

“(A) No person shall do any of the following:

1. Engage in bookmaking, or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates bookmaking;
2. Establish, promote, or operate or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates any game of chance conducted for profit or any scheme of chance;
3. Knowingly procure, transmit, exchange, or engage in conduct that facilitates the procurement, transmission, or exchange of information for use in establishing odds or determining winners in connection with bookmaking or with any game of chance conducted for profit or any scheme of chance;
4. Engage in betting or in playing any scheme or game of chance as a substantial source of income or livelihood;”

As you can see, Ohio has a strict anti-gambling stance, and no games of chance that include betting or wagering with money can be legally offered in the state. So if you were hoping to find a real money online casino with no deposit bonuses in Ohio, you will be disappointed.

However, Ohio does have land-based casinos that you can go to if you want to play casino games. The state also legalized sports betting in 2021. The state does allow some other forms of commercial gambling, which we will cover in the section below.

Which forms of commercial gambling are allowed in Ohio?

In most of the states that we have reviewed that have strict anti-gambling stances, we always tend to find some exceptions to the rule. Horse racing and state lotteries are usually the most common type of legal commercial gambling that is allowed across several American states.

The most common forms of legal gambling that are allowed in the state of Ohio are the following:

• Sports betting
• The Ohio state lottery and Keno - regulated by the Ohio Lottery Commission
• Pari-mutuel betting on horse racing at Racinos - where you can bet on horse racing and enjoy casino games
• Charitable bingo and raffles
• Land-based casinos - regulated by the Casino Control Commission

A lot of the above forms of gambling, although legal, are highly regulated in the state of Ohio. For example, to host bingos in Ohio, a group must be a "charitable organization" and must have a license deeming it so from the Ohio Attorney General's Charitable Law Section.

Ohio sweepstakes casinos are perhaps the most common alternative to online casinos that you will find in the state. We’ll dive into greater detail about what they are and how they are legal in Ohio in the section below.

Is it legal to play at sweepstakes casinos in Ohio?

The sweepstakes laws in Ohio are complicated to grasp and have been updated over the years. The bottom line today is that sweepstakes casinos are legal in the state as long as they are online.

Back in 2011, when the Attorney General’s Office released a guide to gambling in the state, the guide mentioned the following:

“Ohio currently lacks a sweepstakes law. (Federal laws require that no purchase be necessary to participate in the sweepstakes. Purchasing a product may not increase the odds of winning, and the odds must be publicly disclosed. Additionally, games complying with federal laws should make a list of winners available and show a beginning and ending date for the sweepstakes.)“

Since then, sweepstakes laws in Ohio have firmed up, especially in relation to retail locations. Section 2915.02 of the Ohio Penal Code states clearly that “conduct, or participate in the conduct of, a sweepstakes with the use of a sweepstakes terminal device at a sweepstakes terminal device facility and either” is prohibited.

Sweepstakes terminal facilities are illegal in Ohio but online sweepstakes gaming is tolerated. As long as you are playing at a legit social casino online, you should be good.

Since sweepstakes terminals are illegal, we recommend exercising caution if you are walking into a sweepstakes cafe in Ohio, since you might be breaking the law by playing in those places.

Are sweepstakes casinos operating in the state of Ohio licensed?

As we mentioned, as long as you are playing online sweepstakes games in Ohio, you are gaming legally. However, the moment you step into a sweepstakes casino parlor in Ohio, you will be violating the law. Given the unique nature of online sweepstakes casinos, which are different than a real-money online casino in Ohio, they are considered legal in the state.

However, since they are not regulated by any specific authority, there isn’t a separate licensing process for them.

Typically, an online casino in Ohio or a land-based casino would need a license from the Casino Control Commission of the state. However, since online casinos are not yet legal in the state, the Commission is only responsible for issuing licenses to land-based casinos. Therefore, sweepstakes casinos have also been made exempt from needing a license to operate in the state.

How do you identify which sweepstakes casinos are legit?

If you are interested in trying out some sweepstakes casinos in Ohio, check out our website, where we share the latest updates about the top sweepstakes casinos across the United States. We have a list of top sweepstakes casinos with attractive bonuses and redemption opportunities that you will enjoy.

Besides our reviews and lists, you can also keep the checklist below handy to quickly identify whether you are playing at a legit sweepstakes site:

• Legit Ohio sweepstakes casinos will never ask you to make a purchase or make a deposit to access their games. If you are being asked for a mandatory deposit or being forced to purchase something to enter the site, it is not compliant with Ohio sweepstakes laws.
• We also recommend looking up some player reviews on the site on platforms like Reddit, Trustpilot, and so on. You can see the type of sweepstakes games they offer, whether they make good on their redemption promises, and in general, get a sense of the sweepstakes casino’s reputation.

What potential future updates on online casinos in Ohio can the state expect?

The future is looking promising for the legalization of online casino gaming in Ohio. Below are some of the most prominent legislative updates that might change the future of gaming in the state.

Whether you are looking to play simple sweepstakes games in Ohio or play at real-money online casinos, it looks like the future might be bright for the overall casino legalization movement in the state.

No-deposit bonus playthrough requirements in Ohio

If you have discovered the world of no-deposit bonuses at various online sweepstakes casinos, firstly, welcome! These bonuses are a fantastic way to get started on a new platform since they come with both GC and SC, allowing you to play a variety of sweepstakes games.

However, the SC that comes along with these no-deposit bonuses cannot be immediately redeemed. There are a few different requirements you need to meet to be able to redeem the Sweepstakes Coins.

For example, if you claim the 35 SC as part of the WOW Vegas welcome bonus, you will need to play those coins at least once before they can be redeemed for prizes. The table below summarizes the playthrough requirements for Ohio sweepstakes.

What are users saying about playing the Ohio sweepstakes?

For a lot of users who are still unsure about how sweepstakes casinos are legal in the United States, the below thread on Reddit helps sum it up perfectly. Before we move on to what folks in Ohio are discussing, we recommend that you take a look below and understand why sweepstakes casinos have a unique legal nature in the United States.

When it comes to discussions around Ohio sweepstakes, we found some interesting threads on Reddit around real money casinos in Ohio. Most threads we reviewed made it clear that there are no online casinos in Ohio that you can access legally.

If you do see any online casinos, you should be highly cautious since they are illegal and can be scam sites, as detailed in the thread below.

As we expected, most people on Reddit advise going down the sweepstakes route, for those who want a taste of legal casino gaming in Ohio.

In the thread below, one Redittor shared his experiences of playing at various sweepstakes casinos such as Stake.us, Pulse and McLuck, and he confirmed how his experience with them has been legit and that the redemption process is also legit.

Ever since sports betting became legal in the state in 2021, a lot of discussions online have been around the sportsbooks and other sports betting opportunities in the state. Given what we found about recent legislative proposals in the state, we can only hope that online casinos will soon meet a similar legislative fate in the state.

Final thoughts on sweepstakes casinos in Ohio

When it comes to the legalization of gambling activities in Ohio, the state is a bit of a mixed bag. While online sports betting has been made legal in the state, the same isn’t true for online casinos. This is why sweepstakes casinos continue to remain the best course of action for Ohio residents who want to play online casino games without breaking the law.

The free-to-play sweepstakes sites also offer chances for prize redemption and prizes can range from gift cards to actual cash prizes. In the future, there is hope that online casinos might be made legal soon.

Ohio Legal Sweepstakes Casino FAQ

Disclaimer: Kindly note that we are not legal or tax experts. While we always strive to present the most accurate information, this is not binding legal advice. Always reach out to a licensed lawyer or tax advisor when in doubt.