Ohio gaming laws regulations

Perhaps part of this comes from its proximity to Pennsylvania, which is amongst the most gambling-friendly.

Still, a central sticking point is that interactive gaming is not yet authorized or regulated in The Buckeye State. This means that legal online sports betting, casinos, and poker rooms are off the table. Unfortunately, there has been little indication that this will change in the short run. However, we believe that it is inevitable. After all, Ohio like many other states is racing to plug substantial budget deficits.

Furthermore, we are genuinely convinced that the best way to protect players is to regulate online gambling and casinos. Please revisit us soon as we update our Ohio gambling page regularly. In the meantime, you can find our expert-recommended online casinos and bonuses above. By subscribing here, you agree to receive our latest news and offers in accordance with our privacy policy.

Home Ohio. Ohio Casinos: Commercial Casinos 5 Racinos 7. Best Bonuses in Ohio Casinos Although all online casinos offer casino bonuses, what they entail can be quite different. Ohio Gambling Overview Ohio is a Midwestern state with approximately State Lottery The state lottery is operated by the Ohio Lottery Commission , with proceeds going towards education. Is sports betting legal in Ohio? Is Internet gambling legal in Ohio? Where can I find video lottery terminals in Ohio?

Does Ohio have any land-based casinos? Conclusion Ohio is a relatively liberal gambling state. Best Online Casino Bonus 1. December 31, Arkansas Sports Betting Controversy December 31, Watch Live.

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Additionally, the legislation provides clarity for homebrewers and homebrewing conventions. Load Error. H The attorney general may adopt rules for the application, acceptance, denial, suspension, revocation, limitation, restriction, or condition of a distributor license or endorsement, and to enforce any other provisions of this section, in accordance with Chapter I The attorney general may impose a civil fine on a distributor licensed or permitted under this chapter for failure to comply with any restrictions, limits, or probationary conditions on its license, or for failure to comply with this chapter or any rule adopted under this chapter, according to a schedule of fines that the attorney general shall adopt in accordance with Chapter J Whoever violates division A , E , or F of this section is guilty of illegally operating as a distributor.

Except as otherwise provided in this division, illegally operating as a distributor is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division A , E , or F of this section, illegally operating as a distributor is a felony of the fifth degree. A No manufacturer shall sell, offer to sell, or otherwise provide or offer to provide bingo supplies for use in this state without having obtained a license from the attorney general under this section.

B 1 The attorney general may issue a manufacturer license to any person that meets the requirements of this section. C The attorney general may refuse to issue a manufacturer license to any person to which any of the following applies, or to any person that has an officer, partner, or other person who has an ownership interest of ten per cent or more and to whom any of the following applies:. D 1 No manufacturer shall sell, offer to sell, or otherwise provide or offer to provide bingo supplies to any person for use in this state except to a distributor that has been issued a license under section No manufacturer shall accept payment for the sale of bingo supplies other than by check or electronic fund transfer.

E 1 No manufacturer shall knowingly sell, offer to sell, or otherwise provide or offer to provide an electronic instant bingo system to any person for use in this state, or submit an electronic instant bingo system for testing and approval under section An applicant for a manufacturer license under this section may apply simultaneously for an electronic instant bingo manufacturer endorsement to that license. If the proprietary software is licensed to the manufacturer, the manufacturer shall provide a copy of the license along with the application for an endorsement under this section.

Upon receiving an application for an electronic instant bingo manufacturer endorsement, the attorney general shall request the superintendent, or a vendor approved by the bureau, to conduct a criminal records check based on the applicant's fingerprint impressions in accordance with division A 18 of that section. The attorney general shall not issue an electronic instant bingo manufacturer endorsement to an applicant if the applicant, any officer or partner of the applicant, or any person who has an ownership interest of ten per cent or more in the applicant has violated any existing or former law or rule of this state, any other state, or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any provision of this chapter or any rule adopted by the attorney general under this chapter.

F 1 The attorney general may suspend, place limits, restrictions, or probationary conditions on, or revoke a manufacturer license or an electronic instant bingo manufacturer endorsement for a limited or indefinite period of time for any of the following reasons:. G The attorney general may adopt rules for the application, acceptance, denial, suspension, revocation, limitation, restriction, or condition of a manufacturer license or endorsement described in this section, and to enforce any other provisions of this section, in accordance with Chapter H The attorney general may impose a civil fine on a manufacturer licensed or permitted under this chapter for failure to comply with any restrictions, limits, or probationary conditions on its license, and for failure to comply with this chapter or any rule adopted under this chapter, according to a schedule of fines that the attorney general shall adopt in accordance with Chapter I Whoever violates division A , D , or E of this section is guilty of illegally operating as a manufacturer.

Except as otherwise provided in this division, illegally operating as a manufacturer is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division A , D , or E of this section, illegally operating as a manufacturer is a felony of the fifth degree. If the building in which bingo is conducted is owned by the charitable organization conducting bingo and the bingo conducted includes a form of bingo described in division O 1 of section B No charitable organization that conducts a bingo game described in division O 1 of section No charitable organization is required to pay property taxes or assessments on premises that the charitable organization leases from another person to conduct bingo sessions.

If the charitable organization leases from a person other than a charitable organization the premises on which it conducts bingo sessions, the lessor of the premises shall provide the premises to the organization and shall not provide the organization with bingo game operators, security personnel, concessions or concession operators, bingo supplies, or any other type of service.

A charitable organization shall not lease or sublease premises that it owns or leases to more than three other charitable organizations per calendar week for conducting bingo sessions on the premises. A person that is not a charitable organization shall not lease premises that it owns, leases, or otherwise is empowered to lease to more than three charitable organizations per calendar week for conducting bingo sessions on the premises.

In no case shall more than nine bingo sessions be conducted on any premises in any calendar week. C No charitable organization that conducts a bingo game described in division O 1 of section A volunteer firefighter's organization or a volunteer rescue service organization that conducts not more than five bingo sessions in a calendar year may conduct more than three bingo sessions in a seven-day period after notifying the attorney general when it will conduct the sessions.

Division A 6 of this section does not prohibit the sale of instant bingo tickets beginning at nine a. If circumstances make it impractical for the charitable organization to conduct a bingo session at the premises, or on the day of the week or at the time, specified on its license, or if a charitable organization wants to conduct bingo sessions on a day of the week or at a time other than the day or time specified on its license, the charitable organization may apply in writing to the attorney general for an amended license pursuant to division J of section A charitable organization may apply twice in each calendar year for an amended license to conduct bingo sessions on a day of the week or at a time other than the day or time specified on its license.

If the amended license is granted, the organization may conduct bingo sessions at the premises, on the day of the week, and at the time specified on its amended license. The rules may include a requirement that an electronic bingo aid be capable of being audited by the attorney general to verify the number of bingo cards or sheets played during each bingo session.

D 1 Except as otherwise provided in division D 3 of this section, no charitable organization shall provide to a bingo game operator, and no bingo game operator shall receive or accept, any commission, wage, salary, reward, tip, donation, gratuity, or other form of compensation, directly or indirectly, regardless of the source, for conducting bingo or providing other work or labor at the site of bingo during a bingo session.

F This section does not prohibit a bingo licensed charitable organization or a game operator from giving any person an instant bingo ticket as a prize. G Whoever violates division A 2 of this section is guilty of illegally conducting a bingo game, a felony of the fourth degree. Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates division A 1 or 3 , B 1 , 2 , or 3 , C 1 to 11 , or D of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division A 1 or 3 , B 1 , 2 , or 3 , C 1 to 11 , or D of this section, a violation of division A 1 or 3 , B 1 , 2 , or 3 , C , or D of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. Whoever violates division C 12 of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, or if the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division C 12 of this section, a felony of the fourth degree.

In no case shall an instant bingo ticket or card be sold or provided for a price different from the price printed on it by the manufacturer on either the instant bingo ticket or card or on the game flare. B A charitable organization may purchase, lease, or use instant bingo ticket dispensers to sell instant bingo tickets or cards.

C The attorney general may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter Before those rules are adopted, the attorney general shall reference the recommended standards for opacity, randomization, minimum information, winner protection, color, and cutting for instant bingo tickets or cards, seal cards, and punch boards established by the North American gaming regulators association.

D Whoever violates division A of this section or a rule adopted under division C of this section is guilty of illegal instant bingo conduct.

Except as otherwise provided in this division, illegal instant bingo conduct is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division A of this section or of such a rule, illegal instant bingo conduct is a felony of the fifth degree. A 1 Subject to division A 2 of this section, a person or entity that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection a and is described in subsection c 3 , c 4 , c 6 , c 7 , c 8 , c 10 , or c 19 of the Internal Revenue Code may conduct a raffle to raise money for the person or entity and does not need a license to conduct bingo in order to conduct a raffle drawing that is not for profit.

B Except as provided in division A or B of this section, no person shall conduct a raffle drawing that is for profit or a raffle drawing that is not for profit. C Whoever violates division B of this section is guilty of illegal conduct of a raffle. Except as otherwise provided in this division, illegal conduct of a raffle is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division B of this section, illegal conduct of a raffle is a felony of the fifth degree. A As used in this section, "retail income from all commercial activity" means the income that a person receives from the provision of goods, services, or activities that are provided at the location where instant bingo other than at a bingo session is conducted, including the sale of instant bingo tickets. A religious organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection a and described in subsection c 3 of the Internal Revenue Code, at not more than one location at which it conducts its charitable programs, may include donations from its members and guests as retail income.

B 1 If a charitable instant bingo organization conducts instant bingo other than at a bingo session under a type III license issued under section C Except as provided in division F of this section, no charitable instant bingo organization shall conduct instant bingo other than at a bingo session at a location where the primary source of retail income from all commercial activity at that location is the sale of instant bingo tickets. D The owner or lessor of a location that enters into a contract pursuant to division B of this section shall pay the full gross profit to the charitable instant bingo organization, in return for the deal of instant bingo tickets.

The owner or lessor may retain the money that the owner or lessor receives for selling the instant bingo tickets, provided, however, that after the deal has been sold, the owner or lessor shall pay to the charitable instant bingo organization the value of any unredeemed instant bingo prizes remaining in the deal of instant bingo tickets. The charitable instant bingo organization shall pay six per cent of the total gross receipts of any deal of instant bingo tickets for the purpose of reimbursing the owner or lessor for expenses described in this division.

As used in this division, "expenses" means those items provided for in divisions GG 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 12 , and 13 of section As used in this division, "full gross profit" means the amount by which the total receipts of all instant bingo tickets, if the deal had been sold in full, exceeds the amount that would be paid out if all prizes were redeemed.

E A charitable instant bingo organization shall provide the attorney general with all of the following information:. F Division C of this section does not apply to a volunteer firefighter's organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection a and described in subsection c 3 of the Internal Revenue Code, that conducts instant bingo other than at a bingo session on the premises where the organization conducts firefighter training, that has conducted instant bingo continuously for at least five years prior to July 1, , and that, during each of those five years, had gross receipts of at least one million five hundred thousand dollars.

A No owner or lessor of a location shall assist a charitable instant bingo organization in the conduct of instant bingo other than at a bingo session at that location unless the owner or lessor has entered into a written contract, as described in section B The location of the lessor or owner shall be designated as a location where the charitable instant bingo organization conducts instant bingo other than at a bingo session.

C No owner or lessor of a location that enters into a written contract as prescribed in division A of this section shall violate any provision of Chapter D No owner or lessor of a location that enters into a written contract as prescribed in division A of this section shall violate the terms of the contract.

E 1 Whoever violates division C or D of this section is guilty of illegal instant bingo conduct. If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division C or D of this section, illegal instant bingo conduct is a felony of the fifth degree. The attorney general, by rule adopted pursuant to section The terms of the contract shall be limited to the provisions in Chapter A No charitable organization that conducts bingo or a game of chance pursuant to division D of section B A charitable organization shall keep the records that it is required to maintain pursuant to division A of this section at its principal place of business in this state or at its headquarters in this state and shall notify the attorney general of the location at which those records are kept.

C The gross profit from each bingo session or game described in division O 1 or 2 of section Payments for allowable expenses incurred in conducting the bingo session or game and payments to recipients of some or all of the net profit of the bingo session or game shall be made only by checks or electronic fund transfers drawn on the bingo session or game account.

D Each charitable organization shall conduct and record an inventory of all of its bingo supplies as of the first day of November of each year. E The attorney general may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter F A distributor shall maintain, for a period of three years after the date of its sale or other provision, a record of each instance of its selling or otherwise providing to another person bingo supplies for use in this state.

The record shall include all of the following for each instance:. G A manufacturer shall maintain, for a period of three years after the date of its sale or other provision, a record of each instance of its selling or otherwise providing bingo supplies for use in this state. If any law enforcement agency has reasonable grounds to believe that a charitable organization, distributor, or manufacturer or an officer, agent, trustee, member, or employee of the organization, distributor, or manufacturer has violated any provision of this chapter, the law enforcement agency may proceed by action in the proper court to enforce this chapter, provided that the law enforcement agency shall give written notice to the attorney general when commencing an action as described in this division.

I No person shall destroy, alter, conceal, withhold, or deny access to any accounts or records of a charitable organization, distributor, or manufacturer that have been requested for examination, or obstruct, impede, or interfere with any inspection, audit, or observation of bingo or a game of chance, of premises where bingo or a game of chance is conducted, or of premises where bingo supplies are manufactured or distributed, or refuse to comply with any reasonable request of, or obstruct, impede, or interfere with any other reasonable action undertaken by, the attorney general or a law enforcement agency pursuant to division H of this section.

J Whoever violates division A or I of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.