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If FanDuel Sportsbook Ohio eventually becomes the leading online sports betting provider in the state, the path to that outcome will have begun on Wednesday morning. The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) approved a sportsbook license for the company on Wednesday.
Should everything go smoothly from here, Ohioans will be able to start putting bets down on the app on New Year’s Day 2023. FanDuel wasn’t the only interested party the Commission gave a license to during its meeting.
FanDuel Sportsbook Ohio prepares to extend dominance
In the majority of jurisdictions where it operates an online sportsbook, FanDuel tends to have the biggest share of the market. Earlier this year, FanDuel’s online sportsbook became the first major US sports betting app to actually show a profit over the span of a quarter.
While it will have plenty of competition in Ohio, the license approval FanDuel received on Wednesday means barring any unforeseen challenges, it can hit the ground running on Jan. 1, 2023, to add Ohio to the swath of the country it dominates in that regard. FanDuel is already accepting registrations in Ohio, promising $100 in bonus funds when the app goes fully live.
In its Wednesday morning meeting, the OCCC also approved proprietor and vendor licenses for several companies like Intralot and IGT. The Commission also approved Penn Sports Interactive for the same type of license that FanDuel received.
FanDuel’s partner in the state is Belterra Park in Cincinnati, which Boyd Gaming operates. Boyd and FanDuel have already collaborated on other brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in other states and the OCCC has already given Belterra authorization to take bets on sports in person.
For those who would like to make Ohio an exception to FanDuel’s rule but haven’t yet gotten their completed applications in for similar licenses, time is running short.
Important application deadline approaching
During Wednesday’s meeting, commission reminded hopeful applicants that there is a Nov. 2 deadline on many components of a complete sports betting license application. That segment of the application includes submissions pertaining to geolocation and responsible gaming plan requirements, among others.
Any applicants who fail to get those documents in by Nov. 2 aren’t out of luck permanently. The OCCC will continue to consider license applications on a rolling basis. The Nov. 2 deadline is essential for those operators who wish to guarantee themselves a shot to go live on New Year’s Day.
Submitting the documents past the Nov. 2 deadline could jeopardize that time frame. FanDuel is ahead of any potential licensees still working on their applications, now. By this time next year, FanDuel should have somewhat of an idea of whether it will dominate Ohio as well.
