Ohio Online Casinos

Ohio sports betting just launched in January 2023, so gambling online is still pretty new to Buckeye State bettors. Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB29 into law on Dec. 21 of last year. With this good news, you may wonder, what's the status of legal online casinos in Ohio? The short answer is this — there are currently no announced plans for legalizing online casinos in The Buckeye State for the foreseeable future.

With this good news for gamers, you may wonder, what's the status of legal online casinos in Ohio? The short answer is this — there are currently no announced plans for legalizing online casinos in The Buckeye State for the foreseeable future.

While this is disappointing news to be sure, that doesn't mean you should close the door on the possibility of it ever coming to fruition. Many industry experts feel the legalization of sports betting will be a litmus test of sorts for Ohio regulators and the operators to get a feel for online gambling and to see whether or not legalized online casinos would be feasible down the road.

For now, though, Ohio gamers will just have to dabble in the legal sports betting market to get their online gambling fix. Or else, they could sign up with a social casino and play for free. They’re legal in all but two US states and Ohio is one of the protected 48. Without risking a dime, a player can win real money on many social casinos. Keep reading for details about the 5 best social casinos in Ohio.

OH Online Casino Quick Facts:

• Date legalized: TBD
• Launch date: TBD
• Regulated by: Ohio Casino Control Commission 
• You must be 21 years or older and within state lines to place bets once legal sports betting goes live on Jan. 1, 2023. It is likely the age requirement would be the same for online gambling if online casinos become legalized.

Pulsz Casino

• Read our Pulsz Casino Promo Code & Review
• Bonus Offer: Get Up to 367,000 Gold Coins + FREE 32.3 Sweepstakes Coins!

Pulsz Casino is a slot lover's paradise. With more than 750 to choose from, Pulsz’s selection of new and classic slots can’t be beat. For table game players, Pulsz offers Multihand Blackjack, Texas Hold’em Poker and Classic Hilo. With so much inventory, a much-needed search bar makes finding games fast and easy. They’re divided into 15 categories including New Games, Classic Games and Epic Wins.

A near replica of the desktop site, the Pulsz Casino App offers many of the most highly rated games on PC. You can download the app for iOS at the Apple App Store or for Android at Google Play.

WOW Vegas Casino

• Read our WOW Vegas Casino Promo Code & Review
• Bonus Offer: 1.5 million WOW coins + 30 sweepstakes coins

Just like their real money counterparts, social casinos give away generous bonuses, particularly to new players registering for the first time. WOW Vegas Casino offers more promotions for new and existing players than any of its competitors. That includes a 30 Sweepstakes Coin (SC) and a 1.5 million WOW Coin new player bonus. The casino offers more than 500 of today’s latest slots created by Betsoft and Pragmatic Play.

WOW Vegas is the only social casino on our list without a dedicated app. We hope that will change in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, the website is optimized for mobile to accommodate users who play on a smartphone or laptop.

Chumba Casino

• Read our Chumba Casino Promo Code & Review

According to its website, more than one million players log in each day to play for free on  Chumba Casino. Chumba doesn’t offer hundreds of games like its peers. With 165 options, Chumba’s ideal for players who find larger mainstream sites intimidating. In lieu of any other table games, Chumba offers three types of blackjack from Golden Rock Studios. Twenty-one happens to be our favorite game, and the rules on Chumba are favorable to the player. So we played a few hands on a table paying 3:2 with a 99.43% return to player (RTP) and dealer stands on all 17s.

Every game offered on Chumba’s desktop site is also available on its app. With a well-designed menu bar that includes images of slot machines, playing cards and more, the Chumba Casino App is easy to navigate. Players can download the app for iOS in the Apple App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.

Hard Rock Social Casino

The famed Hard Rock brand is extending its reach beyond hotels, casinos and cafés. With a real-money online casino and a social casino, Hard Rock is an influential player in the digital gambling landscape.

Hard Rock Social Casino offers more than 250 slots and table games. Game developers include Everi, Novomatic and American Gaming Systems (AGS). With crisp, bright graphics, and vibrant colors, the casino is inviting without being overpowering. 

Earn Unity Rewards Points when you play on Hard Rock Social Casino’s highly-rated app. You can download it from the Apple App and Google Play Stores.

Wind Creek Social Casino

• Read our Wind Creek Online Casino Promo Code & Review

Since its launch one year ago, Wind Creek Social Casino has amassed an inventory of more than 500 games. It offers many of the latest slots to hit the market, as well as blackjack, roulette and video poker. In addition to traditional casino games, Wind Creek offers slot tournaments, quests and auctions. Players can bid online for hotel stay, food and Free Play at any of Wind Creek’s eight US land-based casinos.
You can download the Wind Creek App along with the recently released Casinoverse fantasy gaming app from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Social Casino Currency

Social casinos operate on a dual currency of coins having no monetary value. Gold Coins (GC) are good for entertainment only, not for winning cash or prizes. Sweepstakes Coins (SC) have no value on their own. But when you play with this premium currency, at many social casinos your winnings can be exchanged for cash at the rate of 1 SC = $1.

How to Get Coins at a Social Casino

Players can request free coins by mail, win them playing casino games or receive them as a bonus. Free coins are easy to come by, so a light gambler won’t ever have to purchase coins as long as he collects his daily log-in bonus.  Buying coins is never required, but GC are for sale. The more valuable SC cannot be bought, but are given as a bonus when you buy GC. 

Social Casino Minimum Age Requirement

Unlike traditional online casinos, you only need to be 18+ in most states to play in a social casino. Real-money online casinos have a legal age requirement of 21+.

Social Casino Legal States

Before social casinos came along, the majority of the American public had little to no access to online casinos. Now, reputable social casinos offer hundreds of free games to residents of 48 states, including New York. Washington and Idaho are the two lone standouts.

June 2022	BetMGM and PointsBet are the first two sportsbooks to apply for online betting licenses in Ohio.
June 2022	The Ohio Casino Control Commission officially confirms Jan. 1, 2023, as the launch date for online and retail sports betting. Approved sports betting licensees were able to take first bets by midnight on Jan. 1
December 2021	Ohio Senate, House and Gov. Mike DeWine overwhelmingly pass bill to legalize Ohio sports betting. On Dec. 22, Gov. DeWine signs HB29.
2009	Ohio voters pass the "Ohio Casino Approval and Tax Distribution, Amendment 3", which put one casino in each of the state's four largest cities (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo).

Legal OH Casinos

You can always travel to one of the full-service casinos or one of the seven racinos at racetracks to place your wagers. There are 11 casino locations in The Buckeye State. Each of the state's four largest cities has one full-service casino. These casinos offer slots, table games, and live poker.

Ohio also has seven racinos, which are racetracks that have live racing, simulcast betting, and video lottery terminals.

Here are the locations of each casino and racino:

Land-based casinos

• Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati — Opened March 4, 2013; Located at 1000 Broadway St., Cincinnati
• Hollywood Casino Columbus — Opened Oct. 8, 2013; Located at 200 Georgesville Road, Columbus
• Hollywood Casino Toledo — Opened May 29, 2012; Located at 777 Hollywood Blvd., Toledo
• Jack Cleveland Casino in Cleveland — Opened May 14, 2012; Located at 100 Public Square, Cleveland

Racinos

• Belterra Park Cincinnati in Cincinnati — Opened May 1, 2014; Located at 6301 Kellogg Road, Cincinnati
• Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs in Columbus — Opened June 1, 2012; Located at 6000 S. High St., Columbus
• Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway in Dayton — Opened Aug. 28, 2014; Located at 777 Hollywood Blvd., Dayton
• Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown — Opened Sept. 17, 2014; Located at 655 N. Canfield Niles Road, Youngstown
• Jack Thistledown Racino in North Randall — Opened May 14, 2012; Located at 21501 Emery Road, North Randall
• MGM Northfield Park in Northfield — Opened Dec. 18, 2013; Located at 10777 Northfield Road, Northfield
• Miami Valley Gaming in Turtlecreek Township — Opened Dec. 12, 2013; Located at 6000 St. Route 63, Turtlecreek Township

Responsible Gambling in Ohio

There are plenty of resources for Ohio gamblers looking for help or are just looking for more information related to problem gambling. Here are just a few of the resources you can turn to:

Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline

The Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline can be reached at 1-800-589-9966.

National Council on Problem Gambling

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is a national organization that assists programs and services which deal with program gambling. Ohio bettors can reach the NCPG at 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-426-2537.

Gamblers Anonymous Hotlines

There are multiple hotlines based on where you're located if you want to contact Gamblers Anonymous. Here are some you can call for help or more information:

• Toledo: 419-327-9514
• Youngstown: 330-505-5060
• Cincinnati: 513-244-9779
• Dayton: 937-449-9911